


In the Dark of the Night

by oopsgingermoment



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Blood Drinking, F/M, I'm a hopeless romantic, Magic, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Romance, Spells & Enchantments, Vampires, Violence, We also get to go to India, Witches, and a sucker for vampires, okay i'm done, putting a graphic violence warning just in case lol, this is me indulging myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-08 14:57:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16431605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopsgingermoment/pseuds/oopsgingermoment
Summary: Aloy is a powerful witch from New York City. Avad is a centuries-old vampire from South Asia. An ancient power binds them together. A great adversary threatens to pull them apart. To survive, they must come to terms with their new world and set aside all that they once knew.A five-part Halloween special for anyone like me who is really into urban fantasy AUs.





	1. Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, loyal readers and new readers alike!  
> This is sort of an experiment of mine, and a self-indulgent one. I love witches, vampires, and AUs. lol This is a little something I've been planning, and I sincerely hope that you all like it.  
> The type of vampire that Avad is is my own, taking inspiration from just about every vampire film and TV show I have ever seen. Aloy's magic is unique as well, taken from my own head. Not everything is explained on purpose, because I like mystery.  
> I may expand this story into a full one, but that's not for certain. What I CAN guarantee is that I intend on writing one shots for this universe every now and again. I just love it too much. ^.^  
> Thank you all very much for giving this story a shot and I hope you enjoy it. :D

This was the worst part. The hunting. The pounding hearts, the rich sound of blood coursing through veins. His mind connected with his surroundings, feeling out his options. This city was rich with life even in the dead of night, and this was when predators came out to play. But none of them were like him. He balanced with ease on the bitter edge of the roof, not bothered by the drop below. If a mere mortal fell, there would be a nasty mess. But if he jumped right now, he’d balance on his feet like a cat. It was far too easy.

The tang of adrenaline could be tasted on his tongue. He turned and followed. The owner of the scent was a man—a boy, really—and he was yelling at his dog to come back inside. He was hot from his run. The creature acted fast, a mere shadow to anyone who paid enough attention. A hand covered the boy’s mouth to silence him coupled with a deep, sensual hum. Teeth sank into flesh with ease, the thick liquid filling his hungry mouth. When he had finished, his eyes stared sharply into the boy’s. He made him forget, healed the wound, and was on his way. He never killed. He hadn’t killed in a _very_ long time.

Silence was deafening. The citizens of this part of town knew to vacate the streets by the advent of night. There were always dangerous threats worth avoiding. None of the men who came crawling out were truly men. They all craved a form of violence. Rape, murder, and drugs were the favorites. The creature was always glad to deliver them to the police station once he was done with them. Still, more always came.

The creature walked calmly. He was in no danger. A gang could do nothing to him. Few could. He was too old and too powerful for that. It didn’t stop young ones from trying anyway. Young ones were so naïve, thinking their newly-found strength would be a boon for them. He tried to teach them, but many refused to learn.

In the distance he heard scuffling followed by a muffled yell. A cool voice spoke threateningly. A voice the creature knew all too well. He followed where his ears led him. He knew the beast and he knew he had to save its victim. His feet flew across the asphalt, rounding the corner, and halting behind the human’s attacker.

Without hesitation, the creature grasped the beast by the scrape of his neck and yanked him free from the victim, throwing him down the alley. The ground shattered like glass and the beast growled throatily in his chest. “Avad,” the beast hissed, his menacing form rising up from the ground.

“Helis,” Avad growled back. This was his territory and the other male was trespassing.

“Have I taught you nothing, boy?”

“You taught me everything. I choose to interpret things differently.”

Avad tackled him before the large man could answer. The pair rolled, slashing and biting in attempts to dominate the other. Avad had done this dance before, but not with one who was older than he. Avad would not be surprised if this battle cost him his life.

The men throttled each other against brick walls. Clothes ripped. The beast and the creature grasped each other’s throats, teeth bared and fangs extended to their full length. Helis snapped at Avad’s flesh like a rabid dog. His strength was overwhelming. Avad croaked out breath, kicking and scratching to get the beast off him, but it was nearly impossible. He could feel his bones cracking.

By some miracle, Helis’ body stiffened; he sounded like he was choking. His large frame toppled down to the ground. Avad grunted heavily, clutching his throat shakily. He could see Helis writhing, rolling on the filthy ground in clear agony. The creature was confused for a moment.

With a gasp of realization, he looked over to Helis’ would-be victim. She was a young woman—a girl, almost—and her eyes were hardened with focus. Her neck was red with blood, strands of her red hair clinging to the fluid, but she didn’t seem to notice. Whether Helis knew what she was, Avad wasn’t sure, but now that he’d broken the beast away from her she was able to retaliate.

There was no point in waiting. Avad jumped to his feet and sprung forward, twisting Helis’ head with a jerk. The familiar, sickening crunch filled his ears and Avad let the body drop. It wouldn’t be long before Helis awoke. They needed to get out of here, but before Avad could speak to the girl, his ears filled with sharp ringing. He cried out and pressed his hands to his head, falling to his knees. Gods, that _hurt_. He tried to focus, to push it out of him. The sound began to weaken, and so he pushed harder.

She was strong. Stronger than anything he had seen before. Women like her were powerful, yes, but not like this. They shouldn’t be able to cripple ancients. “Stop it,” Avad snapped. He threw his arm, a forceful magic of his own knocking her off her feet and breaking the connection. “Woman, the second that man wakes up—”

“Don’t call me that.” She was already standing again, arm raised and ready to attack him again. Avad lifted his hands in surrender and slowly rose back up to his feet. He needed to tread carefully. Her magic could break him.

“All right, I won’t. But we need to leave. We are in grave danger.”

Her hazel eyes flicked over to the unconscious beast that had attacked her before glancing over to the creature who had saved her. It didn’t make sense. He was one of _them_. She’d expected him to take her and try to drain her like the other had been doing. It was then she realized that she felt pain in her neck. She hissed and pressed her hand against the wound. “Oh no,” she whispered. Her fingers were slick and red.

“I will take care of it,” Avad assured her hastily, “but please, let’s go.” He could sense the beast beginning to awaken.

She didn’t have a choice, she realized. Shakily she nodded. Avad didn’t wait, instead grasping her by the waist and hoisting her small frame into his arms. His muscles coiled and he sprung, scaling the tall building and jumping from one roof to the next. He knew where to take her, although it may not be wise. If she remembers where he took her she could track him, if she knew how. He suspected that she did.

Despite his better judgement, Avad took the girl back to his home. Helis wouldn’t be able to enter when he woke and tracked them, but Helis knew how to bide his time, and neither of them would be able to hide away here forever. There needed to be a better way to protect her.

Once safely inside, Avad set the girl on the couch and flicked on some lights for her. He could see clearly in the dark, but she was not blessed with the same eyesight. Unless there was more to her kind than he originally knew, of course. “Here, let me take a look,” Avad offered, half moving to touch the tear in her neck. The girl flinch away.

“You’re one of them,” she replied darkly. Avad leaned back. He understood. With a sigh he left the couch, grabbed a towel, and returned. After a moment’s hesitation, the girl took it and pressed it against her neck.

“Yes.” There was no point in lying. She’d seen it all.

“And yet you saved me. Why?”

Avad folded his hands on top of his knees, nodding toward her neck. “Let me heal that and I’ll tell you,” he attempted to bribe her with. The girl rolled her eyes.

“I can do it myself.” Avad didn’t argue as she pulled away the towel. The bright red crimson told him he’d have to throw that one away. He watched curiously as the woman’s pale fingers pressed lightly against the wound, the words she uttered under her breath words that were ancient and unknowable to him. He’d tried to learn the language of the witches many times, but there was a deep magic buried in the tongue that not even he could penetrate.

When the woman’s hand dropped, the wound had completely healed over. Only traces of drying blood was left. Avad swallowed. Regrettably, he hadn’t finished feeding tonight. He was able to fight off the hunger only due to his centuries of practiced resistance. “If you wish to get yourself cleaned up, the restroom is down the hall and to the left,” he offered softly. Wordlessly the redhead got up in search for it.

With a sigh Avad took the towel and began shredding it with his hands before dumping it in the trashcan. He briefly realized that his clothes were in tatters, deciding it did not matter. Quickly he whipped out his phone and dialed up the first person he could think of. The recipient picked up after the first ring. “Hey, Avad! How was the hunt?” Erend’s voice piped up on the other line.

“Complicated. Helis is in New York.”

Erend was silent for several moments. “What… happened?”

Avad went into a brief explanation of what happened, noticing his guest linger in the shadows of the hallway. “She’s powerful, Erend,” he continued on. “More so than I have _ever_ seen. But I fear how Helis will retaliate. I tore him away from his prey and each of us attacked him. You know Helis. You know what his next move will be.”

“Unfortunately.” Erend was barely half Avad’s age, but he and his pack had stumbled upon the beast by mere chance. Following that unfortunate encounter, Erend’s kind referred to Helis as the Stacker of Corpses. “What can we do?”

The creature glanced over at the girl’s shadowed figure. “It’s up to her,” he stated, looking directly into her eyes. He could see her shiver before taking decided steps forward. “I’ll call you back, Erend. There is a matter she and I must discuss.” His friend really didn’t have time to respond as Avad had already hung up. The redhead let out a deep breath and rested her forearms on the kitchen counter, letting the island separate them.

The girl had washed away the traces of blood from her skin and hair, any remnants on her clothing no doubt magicked away. She’d pulled back her fiery hair, revealing several piercings on each ear. She liked dark colors and leather but her face was free from makeup. She was lovely.

“I would like to know your name,” Avad started, hoping he wouldn’t have to Compel her to do it. Could Compulsion even work on a witch? He’d never tried. Even creatures like him knew fear.

“Aloy,” she spoke, figuring it only fair. She’d learned his name already, back when the beast that attacked her grew angry at being disrupted. “I have questions.”

“I figured as much. You may ask me anything except two things: my capabilities and my age.”

Aloy frowned. This only piqued her curiosity and wariness. What danger did a vampire’s age pose to her? Still, she relented. “Okay.”

Avad nodded. “Ask,” he commanded lightly.

“Why did you save me? When you showed up, I expected you to fight over me. Or my blood, I guess. Instead you take me here to help me. Why?”

Avad sighed lightly. “I take no pleasure in what I am, Aloy. I have fought the depth of my instincts for a very long time. When I feed, I only take a small amount. This forces me to drink from more than one source, but it’s better than the alternative.”

“Why don’t you just… end it?”

“I don’t enjoy the thought of dying. No one truly does, no matter how brave they may be. We all don’t wish for our lives to be cut short unless we are truly desperate for peace. Thank the gods I haven’t been desperate enough to end my own life. Not yet, anyway.”

Aloy’s fingers tapped on the marble of the kitchen counter. No nail polish, Avad noted, but she wore a single silver ring on her right middle finger. He’d seen such a ring before. Every fully matured witch bore one. “The man who attacked me. Helis. How do you know him?”

Ah. Avad dreaded this part. “Helis is the man who made me what I am. We meet from time to time, but he takes pleasure in encroaching on my territory and making a mess of things. Jack the Ripper may be a familiar name to you.”

Aloy’s eyes widened. “Holy shit,” she muttered. “That was him?”

“Unfortunately. Murder is the one joy in his cursed life. He isn’t one of those creatures who finds spilled blood a waste. He knows he’ll find more elsewhere. Every time he creates a massacre in my city, I am forced to leave. I rejected his lifestyle a long time ago and this is my price.”

Aloy watched the creature. He wasn’t at all what she expected of his kind. He was tall and handsome, rich dark skin coupled with black eyes and hair. The perfect hunter. It set her teeth on edge. What would the Matriarchs think if they discovered she was in the company of one of their worst enemies? Would it even matter if this vampire had spared her life? “How long have you been in New York?”

“This time around, only a few months. I’d like to stay longer, but if Helis continues to rain down hell on all of us, I will move on.”

“Helis made you,” Aloy repeated after a pause.

“Yes.”

“How old is _he_?”

Clever girl. While Helis’ age would tell her nothing of his own age, she was teetering on the edge of his rules. “He is an ancient. No one knows for certain of his true age, but I know for certain that he is no younger than two millennia. The fact that you could harm him as you have is… exceptional. You’re so young.”

 _What?_ “Two thousand years?” Aloy couldn’t fathom it. The beast must be truly terrible and powerful to survive even for that long. She was dying to know how old Avad was, but she’d be respectful enough not to ask. “I’m not that young. I’m twenty.”

“And still a child to one like me. Your power is too strong for one your age. In fact, not even your Matriarchs would have been able to harm him as you have.”

Aloy twisted the ring on her finger. High Matriarch Teersa had said the same thing. Many had feared that her power would kill her, but so far she was as healthy as any other sorceress. “I’m not a child. I don’t care how old you are. It doesn’t change the fact that in the state of New York, I’m a legal adult.”

Avad smirked. She was a spitfire, that one. He liked it. “Very well,” he relented. He glanced briefly down at his phone. Erend had already sent three texts, one more insistent than the last. “I can answer more questions later, but now we have a problem. You’ve made a fool out of Helis. You have injured him. He will be angry and no doubt he has marked you for death. Both of us.”

“My magic worked on him before. I can do it again.”

“No, you won’t last. Helis is too strong even for one as powerful as you. There is a reason why many believe him to be the Original. Do you think other ancients have not tried to kill him? That countless supernatural beings of various makes stood aside while he slaughtered innocents? Werewolves call him the Stacker of Corpses, Aloy. Your only choices are to surrender or run, and we both know you won’t surrender.”

“I’m not going to run either,” Aloy snapped, narrowing her eyes.

“Then how do you intend on surviving?”

“I haven’t figured that part out yet.” Aloy rubbed her eyes with her fingers. God, she was tired. “Listen, I want to go home. Is that an option or do I have to force my way out the door?”

Avad grimaced as he looked out the window. He knew it was a dangerous move, but he was going to seek out Helis’ presence. He closed his eyes and stretched out his essence, grasping onto the connection that every vampire had with their sire. The beast was not difficult to find, already feasting on a prostitute and her John. Avad hissed when saw the woman’s mangled body through Helis’ eyes, snapping out of the connection before his sire knew he was there. “Neither,” he decided. “Helis is prowling the streets.”

Aloy groaned, clenching her fists. She wanted to fight her host and get out of here, but she wasn’t dumb enough to set out in the streets of New York City in the dead of night with a vengeful vampire on the loose. Frankly, she didn’t know why she was standing so calmly in the kitchen with another. She’d be raised with certain beliefs instilled in her, and that included a hatred for vampires. Somehow, though, she couldn’t hate this one. Not really. “What do I do then?”

Avad glanced over at the hallway she’d emerged from earlier. Due to his daytime work, he was forced to have full furnishings in his homes. He never thought he’d have a use for the guest bedroom. “Helis cannot enter my home without being invited inside. You are welcome to stay here for the night,” he offered tentatively. He knew of witches’ hatred for his kind. It would take a huge amount of trust for them both should she accept.

This was a terrible idea, Aloy realized, but what else could she do? She wouldn’t risk the lives of any of her sisters to get out of here. All she could do was lock the door. “If you try anything, I will kill you,” she threatened before turning on her heel and retreat to the hall. The redhead took a wild guess and opened one of the doors. As far as she could tell it wasn’t the vampire’s room, as there were any personal items scattered about. Did he even have any personal items with him? She hadn’t bothered looking around earlier.

That went surprisingly well. Avad quickly called Erend back, told him what had transpired, and hung up again. He felt tired mentally and physically, and decided it was high time for a sleep for the first time in weeks. He left Aloy alone, not wishing to endure the force of her magic again.

When Avad changed into his loungewear and curled into bed, he stared out his window. He expanded his essence for a moment, thankfully unable to sense Helis anywhere nearby. Hopefully it stayed that way. The beast may be his maker, but there was no love lost between them. Avad would now be an obstacle in the way of Helis’ revenge. His sire would tear through him to get to Aloy, to break her beyond repair before claiming her blood.

Avad couldn’t make sense of this urge to protect her. He normally tried to avoid Helis at all costs, but for some reason the witch in the next room over had made him intervene in a measure beyond what he has ever done before. Avad’s power didn’t compare to Helis’, but could Aloy’s gifts be what he needed to finally defeat him?

Aloy was meanwhile pondering over similar questions. What kind of vampire defended the life of his enemy? Witches have more or less been at war with vampires for over a thousand years. Traitors were cast out. Vampires were burned. It was a brutal battle, one she’d spent her whole life preparing for, and yet, when she encounters vampires for the first time, one almost kills her and the other saves her life. Of course, it was an added bonus to be targeted by an ancient.

How old was Avad? His words were old, his tongue tainted with a slight accent. He dressed exquisitely, furniture definitely worth more than her own apartment. That didn’t really narrow it down. He fit the bill of one only a century old, but he was in London when Jack the Ripper struck. Aloy decided to take a swift assumption and guess he was at least five hundred years old. She wondered if she would be able to extract the information out of him. Would he notice if she put a spell on him?

The redhead ended up not sleeping very well, waking up with the sun and clamoring out of bed. She found some fresh towels in the closet and opted for a shower, sighing contently as the warm water hit her back. When she was done she checked her phone, realizing her roommate had called her fifteen times. Aloy groaned and texted a quick, half-assed excuse. She couldn’t exactly say she was staying over at a vampire’s house, now could she?

“Good morning.”

Aloy nearly jumped out of her skin as she whipped around. Avad had emerged from his bedroom, looking as immaculate as he had the night before. “Did you even sleep?” she couldn’t resist asking. Mortals enjoyed writing about vampires sleeping in coffins—or in fact, not at all—but she’d never really considered the truth.

“There was need for it, so yes,” Avad confirmed with a smooth smile. “My kind only sleeps when we truly need to. Battling against an ancient vampire and a powerful witch on the same night certainly warranted sleep, that I can guarantee you.”

Huh. But what about the sun? She knew the older the vampire, the less they were affected but the sunlight. If he didn’t react to her opening the blinds, it would get her one step closer to guessing his age. “I’m going to open the blinds,” she spoke, padding over to the window and pulling them open. Avad hadn’t objected, and he didn’t even flinch when sunlight hit his arm. He was busy pulling food out of the refrigerator.

“I’m not certain what you like, but I can make you some eggs perhaps?” Avad offered. Aloy’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“Since when do your kind keep food in the fridge?”

“Since I have human and supernatural friends alike, I’ve developed the habit.” His grin was warm. It was disarming her ever so slightly, but it also unsettled her.

Aloy folded her arms across her chest. “Eggs are fine,” she caved. Avad nodded and pulled out a frying pan. The witch watched in curiosity. If someone had told her yesterday that in twenty-four hours she’d be watching a vampire cook breakfast, she would’ve laughed in their face.

The room was silent save for the sound of food cooking and Avad’s humming. Vampires hum when they cook, apparently. Aloy took the time to snoop around, and again, Avad didn’t object. His apartment was beautiful with fine tapestries on the walls and a crystal jar with bourbon for guests—not that he’d offered her any. She felt uncomfortable prying, but she was unable to resist opening the door to his bedroom.

Personal objects could be found here. Old books that had seen better days, a laptop coupled with piles of paperwork, and even personal photos on his dresser. Aloy peaked up at them. There weren’t many. One in particular caught her eye. Avad was in the photo, standing jovially next to another man with light eyes and dark hair. It appeared to be that they were laughing. Was the other man in the picture this Erend that she heard Avad speaking to on the phone the night before?

She ran her fingers over the spines of the books next. Some were old, some were new, and there were more languages available than she had fingers. Aloy supposed that when one lived forever, they had to find something to pass the time. The most common language was in a script she was unfamiliar with, drawn with smooth lines and elegant curves. It was a beautiful text.

Aloy pulled one of the older tomes from the shelves. Based on the bindings, it was probably a few centuries old, and the language appeared to be Chinese. “Huh. Wonder how long that took him to learn,” she wondered aloud.

His presence was felt before she even heard him. “It is not difficult for my kind to learn a language,” Avad’s warm voice crooned. “It is true what they say: Mandarin is the most difficult language to learn. At least, it was to me.”

Aloy hummed softly, handing the book over to him. “How long did it take you to become fluent?” she asked.

“About a year.” He chuckled at her wide eyes. “We have exceptional memories, Aloy. Now come, or your food will get cold.”

Aloy nodded mutely and slid past him, briefly hearing him put the book away before following behind her. Her nerves heightened, as if Avad’s nearness to her was so close that he was touching her. But he never did. He hadn’t touched her once since last night when he helped her tend to the wound on her neck. Oddly, she wondered if he would again.

Unceremoniously she grabbed the plate and shoveled down the eggs. Out of the corner of her eye, Aloy could see Avad walk purposefully into the kitchen. His strides were catlike, as if he was prowling. She could see his eyes skimming over her as if she was a book worth reading. Her arms prickled with goosebumps.

Avad couldn’t take his eyes off her. She wore the clothes she had the night before—perhaps he ought to offer her something of his to wear?—and her hair was tangled. The sunlight caught in the fiery strands, making the tresses shine brightly. He’d never been this close to a witch without being attacked. Excluding the night before, of course. It took all his willpower not to probe her thoughts. Would such a thing be possible with one as powerful as she? “Is there anything else you wish to eat?” the creature asked her.

Aloy peaked up at him. His eyes were so intense, black like a moonless sky. “Uh, I can look in the fridge myself, if you don’t mind,” she replied, setting the plate down.

“Of course,” Avad consented. “You are my guest.”

She nodded and shuffled over to the fridge. Aloy wasn’t sure what she’d find, but fruit salad and steak wasn’t one of them. She plucked out the fruit, placing a little bit of melon, strawberries, and grapes for herself before putting the bowl back in the fridge. Avad leaned forward, resting his forearms on the counter. He’d seen humans and other beings eat before. Countless times. But somehow, watching her was a different experience. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked away.

Aloy finished off her fruit and rinsed the dishes before putting them in Avad’s otherwise empty dishwasher. Stomach full, she knew it was time to go. “Okay, I think I’ve overstayed my welcome,” she announced, grabbing her bag. Avad redirected his attention over to her.

“I understand. I will call for a cab.”

Protests were ignored, and it wasn’t long before a cab was arriving for her downstairs. Avad escorted her, bearing thick sunglasses over his eyes. Aloy wondered if the sun hurt them at all. “Well, thanks for, uh, helping me,” she said, standing awkwardly next to the taxi cab.

Avad bowed his head. “It was an unexpected pleasure,” he replied. “I will contact you when I have a lead on how to deal with Helis. In the meantime, please be careful. I don’t want your death on my conscience.”

Aloy pursed her lips. “Okay then,” she huffed, popping open the door. “Bye then.”

“Farewell, Aloy.”

He watched the cab roll away, a sense of desire to follow and ensure the girl’s safety biting at the back of his neck. Avad growled deeply in his chest, annoyed with himself. This was madness. Why must he care so much about a witch’s life? They hated him and his kind. Would it not be better, _safer_ to let her die?

No, he couldn’t bear the thought. Not her. Avad ripped the sunglasses from his head, roughly rubbing his face with his free hand. Dammit, how could he risk so much for a stranger? And yet he found himself pulling out his cellphone and dialing all the contacts he felt he could trust. He saved the most important one for last, standing impatiently in his living room as the other line rang. After several moments, the recipient picked up.

“Avad, my boy. It has been far too long.”

“Marad, I need your help.”


	2. A Change of Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, witches! ;)  
> If you're reading this, that means you didn't think the first chapter was absolutely terrible. lol  
> I'm back in my house and posting via my phone thanks to no WiFi (halp) but by God, it's nice to be home.  
> Halloween's coming, which I'm excited for. Gonna curl up in bed and watch some paranormal TV shows. ^.^  
> Enjoy the next chapter!

Nothing happened. Aloy would wait and watch, but no shadows struck fear in her heart. She was lucky to sleep a few hours each night. Nakoa was beginning to worry one of the vampires had done something to her friend. Perhaps she had been Compelled or cursed. Was it even possible for a vampire to curse a witch?

Aloy attended her classes during the day, and at night practiced her craft. She no longer took the route that had got her in Helis’ grasp, although she knew that when he wished to hunt for her, he would find her. She would take every precaution, enchanting charms and drinking potions. Paranoia was horrendous.

The sun was setting now, and she knew that soon enough the vampires too weak to linger in its light for long would come crawling out of their holes. Aloy couldn’t help it, but every night, she looked for Avad. She hadn’t told him where she lived, but surely he could find her. He hadn’t even bothered to try, it would seem. Summer turned to autumn with nothing different. It made her waiting so much worse. Vampires were patient creatures. Witches weren’t.

At least, _this_ witch wasn’t.

Aloy groaned loudly, smacking her hand against the sharp corner of the air conditioning unit of her building. She flinched and held her palm against her chest. Dammit. A vampire was pissed at her and she goes and gets her hand sliced open. With a huff she muttered a spell and healed the wound before she lost too much blood. It was then she realized there was a trace of her blood where she’d injured herself. A part of her was tempted to leave it there, but if Avad recognized her scent, Helis would too. Hastily she cleaned it up.

“Aloy.”

She whipped around, heart hammering. “Oh, it’s just you,” she muttered, realizing it was merely her roommate.

“’Just me?’” Nakoa asked incredulously. “What am I, chopped liver?”

Aloy snorted and shook her head, squeezing through the doorway to the stairwell and climbing down. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, glad they were on the top level. She didn’t need to have this conversation on the stairs. “I’m a bit on edge.”

“You’ve got to get over this vampire,” Nakoa insisted. “It’s not helping you, and the Matriarchs are starting to notice a change.”

Aloy sighed as she opened the door to their apartment. It was small and they were forced to share a bed, but the Matriarchs insisted on keeping the coven close, even those in college. Their grimoires and supplies took dominance of their living space, forcing the pair to eat out or order in more often than they liked. Thank the All-Mother Nakoa’s aunt Solai liked to cook a lot.

Nimble fingers flicked through the pages of her grimoire, handwriting from her countless predecessors filling each sheet of paper. Aloy hoped to one day include enchantments of her own, but who was to say? “He’s out there,” she whispered certainly.

“And a vampire, or did you forget that?”

“Nakoa, please!” Aloy raised a hand in resistance. “You weren’t there, okay? Helis was exactly what I expected, but Avad…. I don’t know how to put it. But he protected me. He didn’t have to. Hell, he shouldn’t have. I attacked him after he saved me and yet he still took me to his home to care for me. Can you think of a reason for why he would do that other than to simply be kind? Maybe we have it wrong.”

“Witches don’t get thousands of years wrong. People don’t get a thousand years of war wrong.”

Aloy groaned and rubbed her eyes. “It just doesn’t make sense….”

Nakoa grabbed Aloy by her shoulders. “Aloy, at least let me use the Disillusionment charm. If I’m wrong, fine, but if I’m not, then you’re free from bondage.”

Her friend had been harping her about the possibility of being Compelled for ages now. Aloy was honestly tired of it. “If it makes you feel better,” she started, “and if it makes you shut up about it, then fine. Just do it.”

_Finally._

Nakoa gathered the essentials, drawing a circle around Aloy on the floor with the base of a white candle. Aloy sat coolly in it as she watched Nakoa light other candles around her as she rested them on the circle. It was one of those spells that required tools, and given the fact that Avad could be many centuries old, Nakoa would need all the power she could muster. No one possessed Aloy’s gift, however. If only the redhead could do the Disillusion herself.

They locked hands across the boundary of the circle, closed their eyes, and took deep breaths. Then, Nakoa spoke in the throaty tongue of the witches, repeating the spell seven times. She paused, waiting for the sensation of her magic pulling from Aloy. Nothing. Their eyes opened. “Do you feel anything?” the blonde asked. Aloy pursed her lips and shook her head. They dropped arms. “Damn. Either he’s more powerful than I can handle or what you say is true.”

“I vote the latter. Are we done?” Aloy didn’t bother hiding her irritation.

“For now. I might have to get the Matriarchs involved.”

“Nakoa, no!” Aloy started, but a loud bang on the roof caused them to shriek. The candles blew out, but the air wasn’t running. Nakoa covered her mouth with her hands and shook her head, knowing exactly what Aloy planned on doing.

Aloy did it anyway. She clamored up the stairs two at a time and yanked open the roof door, using a simple charm to light the vicinity. There was nothing. No one. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment, but that wasn’t before she noticed a small lump on the air conditioning unit that she had cut her hand on. She inched toward it, and noticed a small basket.

Inside was a few crystals, salt, an herb she didn’t recognize, and a scrap of paper. With her heart hammering, Aloy raced back downstairs into her apartment. Nakoa was already peering into the basket as Aloy unfolded the sheet to read what was written. It was signed by Avad. “Nakoa, look!”

When prompted, the blonde looked over at the elegant script. His penmanship was superb. “It’s a spell,” she realized. Nakoa was right.

Aloy tucked the paper under the light of her phone so that she could read better, almost afraid to turn any lights back on.

_I implored a friend of mine to aid us. It took some time but he was able to provide me with the information I have written out below. It is an ancient enchantment that will be able to protect you and your loved ones from Helis’ influence. The spell, however, cannot be repeated for neither he nor I can understand your people’s language. I hope your power can find words for itself in replacement. We shall speak again._

_Avad_

Beneath his name was a recipe and instructions, but, as the vampire had written, no actual words for a spell. He must hold great faith in her craft to believe she could simply make up words for a spell like this. Still, she had to try.

Nakoa couldn’t believe it. This vampire was helping a witch. For whatever purpose, he felt compelled to protect her friend and others Aloy held dear. “This is going to take a while,” she realized.

The recipe was complex, the herb belonging to a plant long believed to have been extinct. Was there an ancient coven out there that grew it in secret all this time? If so, why? Still, the girls followed each step, writing down their names and the names of their coven on little scraps of paper. The circle was purified and redrawn before the crystals were set in a small bowl and left in the circle.

In a separate bowl were the sprigs of herb and the tablespoon worth of salt. Aloy’s hands were shaking. She knew Avad meant for her alone to speak the words. She’d have to choose them wisely, for magic was a tricky thing. Her people’s language worked its magic in an intricate web that not even they themselves could fully understand. The words were pulled from their very essence. Their souls.

Taking a shuddering breath, Aloy glanced at Nakoa. “I need you to burn the paper and herbs while I speak,” she instructed. “Let’s just hope the Goddess hears me.” Nakoa held her peace as she watched Aloy settle on her legs and close her eyes, knowing she had to wait until Aloy began speaking.

Aloy was silent for a few moments, seeking for the right words to grip her. After a moment, her mouth opened, and she spoke in the ancient tongue. Deep and guttural, she made her command as Nakoa lit the first bowl alight and began to burn the scraps of paper. The flame burned bright, turning from orange to green when the burning paper made contact with the crystals. Aloy’s determination burned in her belly, her magic coursing through her veins like the very fire that burned in the bowl.

As Nakoa burned the names, she noticed briefly that Aloy had included Avad’s name. While troubled, she burned that one next. When all the names were added and the ashes of herbs and salt were dump on to, the strange green flame flickered, and Aloy continued her chanting as the flame dulled into a deep purple. Nakoa watched with a chill. Only the deepest magic influenced flame. This was ancient.

With a gasp, Aloy jolted back. Her hazel eyes fluttered open; her cheeks were flushed. The flame flickered for another moment before dwindling into a puff of smoke. Neither woman spoke for several heartbeats as if afraid they were going to ruin the spell. Nakoa spoke first.

“That was creepy….”

Aloy snorted and gazed at the ashen crystals. “We should keep that safe,” she muttered. They blew out the candles and carefully poured the ash and crystals into an empty mason jar, setting it underneath their bed. “Nakoa?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t tell anyone what we did tonight.”

 

Aloy couldn’t be sure the spell worked, if she was being honest with herself. She hadn’t heard from Avad again and she was half planning to do a summoning spell. Did those even work on vampires? What was even the point? She had a general idea on where he lived, if memory served her correctly. She could start in the district and hope for the best.

Nakoa thought it was a terrible idea. It was bad enough that Aloy was pining for a vampire these days, but to go out looking for him was even worse. So instead of arguing with her, she went with her. They wore good walking shoes and layered up to fend off the cold, walking all the way to Central Park. It wasn’t exactly where Aloy remembered, but she could recall passing it on her way home.

She honestly didn’t know how to proceed. Would Avad be able to sense her being near? Or would they merely bump into each other like old friends? Even worse was fretting whether or not Helis was watching them this very moment. Absentmindedly, Aloy pressed her hand against her neck where he had drank from her.

She sensed him before she saw him. Aloy whipped around, breath lodged in her throat. Had he always been this beautiful? “Avad,” she muttered, accidentally squeezing Nakoa’s wrist. When the blonde looked, she couldn’t help but feel staggered by the creature’s beauty too. She could begin understanding Aloy’s inexplicable obsession.

“Aloy, I did not expect to find you here,” Avad crooned, his voice warm. He hadn’t even seemed to notice Nakoa at first, too focused on drinking in Aloy’s presence. He’d been watching her from a safe distance for months now, wondering if she would ever seek him out. At last she had. And she was still safe.

“I wanted to find you,” she admitted, glancing awkwardly at Nakoa. “I—we did the spell you sent me.”

Avad nodded. “I could sense it,” he told her. “The magic teems from you like a second skin. I didn’t realize it was that powerful.”

Nakoa felt out of place. With the way Avad was approaching Aloy, long strides but a slow pace, it was almost like Aloy alone existed. Perhaps it should be that way. “Listen, I gotta go. See you later?” she butted in lightly, nudging Aloy on the shoulder.

“Uh, yeah. See you tonight,” Aloy agreed before turning back to her protector. His eyes were following Nakoa’s retreating figure, studying her for a moment before returning his gaze to Aloy’s. “So. Helis.”

Avad sighed softly. “Yes, Helis,” he repeated, putting his hands in his pockets. “For now, he has left New York. I can tell you with certainty that he continues to bide his time, but I do not yet know when that will be. Thank the gods Marad found that spell when he did. I had begun posting sentinels around your block.”

“Sentinels?” The word alone was chilling.

Avad paused, determining how best to explain. “Aloy, New York City belongs to me. The vampires that reside here answer to me. If I tell them to patrol the streets for Helis, they do it. Those who resist are… dealt with.”

“You mean killing.”

“ _No_. That is my last resort,” Avad retorted sternly. “Punished, yes, but I do not kill unless there is no other way. I abhor violence.”

“A vampire that hates violence. I find that a little hard to believe.”

“I understand. I can only hope to prove myself to you in the future.”

Aloy shivered a little. The air was crisp this evening. She wrapped the coat tighter around herself, suddenly dying for a cup of hot chocolate. “Hey, is there any place warm we can talk?” she asked.

Avad glanced around, noting a coffee shop where he knew they would not be disturbed. “Come with me,” he said, offering her his arm. Aloy slowly took it, noting the lack of body heat from his body. She shivered again.

His strides were long, forcing her to almost jog to keep up. They crossed the street and strolled down the sidewalk for a moment before reaching the coffee shop. Avad opened the door and ushered Aloy in, following from behind. It was quiet with few customers, the barista reading a book from behind the counter. At the sound of his approaching footsteps, the girl looked up and jumped.

“A-Avad, sir!” she squeaked. Avad raised his hand to silence her.

“I require the room upstairs please, Samantha,” he uttered lowly. “And no one to disturb us.”

The girl nodded shakily and grabbed some keys from under the counter. Aloy quirked an eyebrow at the girl’s anxiety, honestly incapable of telling whether she was a mortal or a vampire. The redhead glanced over at her male companion, whose face was eternally stoic, even as the girl struggled to get the keys to him. Avad muttered a quiet word of gratitude before leading Aloy to a staircase tucked away in the back of the shop.

As they climbed up the stairs, Aloy glanced over her shoulder. “Is she—?”

“A newborn,” Avad replied. “I found her a little before you and I met. Her maker had abandoned her, and so I took it upon myself to teach her how to survive. Helis’ presence made everyone on edge, even those who don’t fully understand who he is or the strength he possesses.”

The creature unlocked the door and pushed it open, once again allowing his witch companion to enter first. He followed, shutting the door and locking it behind him as he entered. Aloy glanced out the window, watching mortals pass by without any knowledge of what truly haunted the streets. “How many _are_ there? In New York?”

Avad chuckled as he settled in one of the comfortable armchairs nearby. “Contrary to popular belief, my kind doesn’t exactly keep a track record of each other. Most of us are solitary creatures by nature. Nomadic. Few enjoy remaining in a single place for long, much less assimilate themselves among those who are a part of our… diet,” he informed her. Aloy swallowed thickly.

“Fair enough,” she agreed, easing into the chair next to his and tucking her legs underneath herself. Her finger tapped on the fine leather of her chair.

They sat in silence for some time, Aloy debating her next words while Avad watched her with his intense eyes. She wanted to know more about him—about what he was. What differentiated him from others of his kind? What was it about him that made Helis change him, or was it spontaneous? How long ago? Did he have a human family that he missed? A lover? So many questions were spinning that she herself could barely keep up.

“Do you remember my rules?”

Aloy jumped in surprise at the sound of his voice. _God, he needs to stop doing that,_ she thought to herself. “Yes,” she managed.

“Then ask away. We have time until your class tonight unless you wish to finish sooner.”

She’d almost forgotten that he’d been watching her these past months. Of course he would know she was attending NYU. “You can ask questions too, you know,” Aloy whispered, braving a look up at him. Avad’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t been expecting this. “Hey, I’ve been asking questions incessantly. I’m sure you have some of your own. Have you ever played 20 Questions?”

Avad allowed a flicker of a grin. “No, I can’t say that I have,” he admitted, “although I understand its rules. Very well. How about you begin?”

Aloy’s heart fluttered in excitement. “Okay then,” she muttered. “How many people have you turned?”

Avad took a deep breath. “Ten,” he confessed. “I only ever do it if there is no other option, and only ever if my victim is willing. I don’t enjoy taking other people’s lives away.” The creature could tell she was trying to use the number to determine his age, but she would only fail. “My turn: are your parents still alive?”

Wow, starting off strong, aren’t we? “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Aloy shook her head. “I was dropped off at the High Matriarchs’ doorstep. No mother or father claimed me, so I was raised by someone else,” she informed him. “I honestly don’t even know if my mother’s from the same coven, much less still alive. It’s not without effort, though. The Matriarchs have tried every spell they could think of to track down my mother. Nothing.”

Avad’s eyebrows scrunched together. Poor girl. “I’m sorry, Aloy. I hope you will one day be able to find her,” he murmured.

“Thanks.” Aloy cleared her throat. “Number two: have you met any famous figures from history?”

Avad laughed. An actual, hearty laugh. “I admire your persistence at finding loopholes,” he stated, rubbing his jaw. “Very well, I’ll humor you. I have met Rani Lakshmi and Queen Victoria, to make things interesting. They are not the only ones. I happened to be decent friends with Henry VIII once.”

Aloy’s eyes bugged out. “That was, what, five hundred years ago?” she attempted to calculate.

“Give or take, yes. I came to the English court posing as an ambassador to the Mughal emperor Humayun, using several of my… gifts to keep up appearances. I suppose you could say I was there as a tourist.”

“Holy shit.”

Avad laughed again. Her reaction was rather quite endearing. “What are you studying at the university?”

 Aloy didn’t exactly feel to par with him. His story was so long and expansive. She was just…. She hadn’t done anything too significant yet. “Mechanical engineering,” she stated. “I like to pull things apart and mess with them, see what makes them tick. I hate sitting still. My hands are always itching to do something. It’s why I also want to travel the world one day. I want to see everything, even though I know it’s impossible. That must be a nice thing to have with immortality. You see so much more than I ever could.”

“It becomes quite lonely after a while. You start going mad, with the world changing but you standing still. Eternal. Sooner or later, you must sleep.”

“Have you?”

“Yes.”

How long was he talking about? A year? A decade? He was at least five hundred years old. That much was certain. Did he miss those times? “Next question,” she reminded him.

Avad shook his head, freeing himself from his thoughts. His fingers began fidgeting. There was one question he had been dying to ask. “What is the language of the witches?” he burst. Aloy quirked an eyebrow. His mask had broken briefly, revealing a curious young man, eager and starving to learn.

“You’re centuries old and never figured it out?” Aloy asked incredulously. “It’s untranslatable. Only witches can understand it. It’s tied to our magic. You’re never going to be able to learn it.”

Avad leaned back, feeling like an absolute fool. The answer was so simple, but he’d never exactly been able to have a cordial conversation with a witch before. “Wish someone had told me that sooner,” he growled under his breath. Aloy snorted next to him. Had she heard him? “What?”

“You baffle me. I’d expected that to be something vampires figured out for themselves within the first century of their existence.”

“We’re not normally on speaking terms with your kind,” Avad reminded her with a chuckle of his own. “How much do you know about vampires anyway?”

“That’s not how the game works.”

“I am no longer playing.”

Aloy paused and blinked. The statement was finite. To hell with that. “I don’t like your tone,” she uttered sternly. Avad leaned back in his chair as she shot up from her chair and stood, turning toward the window again.

“I apologize. I’m being intolerable.” Avad’s hands rested in his lap as he studied Aloy’s features. She was a beautiful woman. Alluring, even. It unsettled him how her mere presence made him feel uprooted.

“Not used to people looking at you in the eyes and telling you you’re wrong, huh?”

Avad cleared his throat unnecessarily. “Something like that,” he muttered. The natural light showcased Aloy’s creamy skin, marred only by the dotting of her freckles. He barely noticed himself rising to his feet and wandering toward her.

“That’s the problem with your kind,” Aloy lamented. “You hit a certain age and all of a sudden other people’s rules don’t apply to you.”

The creature couldn’t help but laugh. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Even he was guilty of that. “I can’t deny it,” he stated, “nor will I apologize for it.”

Aloy scoffed, her breath fogging the window. “God, you’re annoying,” she huffed. “Is being an ass in the job description?”

“Age eats away patience.”

“Yeah. I noticed.”

They fell silent for a moment, their game clearly over. Aloy supposed they could always learn more from each other as time went on—that is to say, if Avad allowed her to find him again. Her fingers tapped on the windowsill, fresh questions filling her head. Time seemed to stretch on forever before she felt a cold touch on the back of her hand. She gasped and looked down, seeing one of Avad’s long digits trace over her skin. The witch turned her head, finding his eyes trained to her with its familiar intensity.

“I’m sorry, Aloy,” he repeated softly, eyebrows lightly furrowed together. “I am… unaccustomed to being held accountable for my actions by another being. You are unlike anyone I have ever met before. Forgive me.”

Aloy’s breath shuddered as she released it. “It’s fine,” she muttered, her heart thudding heavily against her chest. She didn’t know what to make of it: his touch, her palpating heart, the overwhelming sensation she felt in her core. Her magic was churning in a way she’d never felt it do before. Even though Avad’s finger was cold, it left a blazing trail of heat in its wake.

Avad couldn’t pull away. The cord that had seemed to tug him toward her since the moment he had first touched her was now so tense he was afraid he couldn’t move. His dead heart felt like it just might beat again, and her skin was like solid fire. He didn’t understand it. What magic did Aloy possess that made him act in this way? The creature felt caged in and liberated at the same time, but it wasn’t enough. The fire that burned his finger was stretching through his veins.

Suddenly Avad’s hand lifted and grasped Aloy by the throat, and he pushed her to the window. “What _are_ you?” he whispered, gazing at her eyes. They held no fear. Her mouth dropped open as if to say something, but he didn’t let her. The cord pulled him in further still, and his mouth pressed against hers in a heated kiss.

Aloy didn’t know how to react at first. His hand was on her throat, which he very easily could’ve crushed, but instead he had tasted her lips. She’d never been kissed before. She’d dreamed of kissing someone before, man or woman, but a vampire had claimed her first. Any resistance she should’ve shown was instead turned into molten gold, allowing her to soften and find herself pressed against his body.

Avad pulled away slowly, seeing Aloy’s eyes flutter open. His hand released her silken neck, but not without tracing the tender skin with his digits. What was this? How did she control him like this? Was it her magic at work or was this something else entirely? His mind was reeling with questions, and while his mind wanted questions, the rest of him wanted only the sensation of her mouth again.

He had to get out of here. Away from her. Away from her beautiful eyes and her delicious mouth and her intoxicating scent. Avad growled lightly and took heavy footsteps back, the cord trying to pull him forward again. A hiss followed, and he dashed out of the room before Aloy could blink. He was gone.

 

More weeks passed and Aloy still couldn’t get him out of her head. She’d kissed a vampire. A vampire kissed her. The witch hadn’t dared to tell even Nakoa out of fear that the Matriarchs would retaliate in some way. The coven’s punishments were cruel to traitors and she’d committed the worst treason of all. And yet every night without fail, Avad was in her dreams. Her magic would pulsate, more often than not waking up to objects thrashing about the apartment without explanation.

Nakoa was freaking out. Thinking they’d been cursed, she’d attempted to destroy the contents from Aloy’s spell. Aloy had become irrationally angry as they argued on the rooftop, the stronger force of her magic practically blowing her friend off the edge. The Matriarchs couldn’t find explanation for the redhead’s recently developed behavior. If it continued, the results would be catastrophic.

Aloy could only find one explanation for it. Avad. She didn’t know what kind of magic vampires possessed, but perhaps he’d been able to find access to her essence. Or maybe it was Helis attempting to drive her mad. Ah, it was madness making presumptions that vampires could possess witch-like magic. Aloy then tried blocking the creature and the beast from her mind, but to no avail.

She couldn’t take it anymore. She needed answers, and perhaps Avad could provide them. And then maybe she could curse him for screwing up her magic like this. And so, once Nakoa left for one of her rare nighttime classes, Aloy grabbed her coat and scarf before dashing out into the freezing New York air.

That pull Aloy couldn’t shake felt like a compass, and so she followed it. Her chest felt tight. Her magic coiled tightly, burning like ice and fire as she took each step. Her fingertips prickled. Despite the darkness, that cord knew where to take her. Despite the imminent danger, she trusted the spell to keep her safe. As of now, she had only one goal in mind.

Lock and key held no power against her. What should keep strangers at bay could do nothing. Each door opened to her until at last she reached the top floor. The number on the door was familiar. Mindlessly, she opened that door as well. It flew open with a bang, and within the entryway she could see him, sitting down as if he was waiting for her. Smoothly he rose to his feet.

Aloy didn’t know what compelled her to do it. All she could fathom was the cord pulling her toward Avad. Had he felt it too? Had he felt her coming? No matter. He did not resist when she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled herself up, slamming their lips together once more.

Avad’s fingers curled in Aloy’s fiery hair this time, mildly annoyed by her winter coat blocking him from better access to her heat. While a part of him craved to rip it from her frame, it was blocked by a strong will to keep her safe from his own strength. He growled under his breath, which caused the witch to shudder.

Pulling back, gazed intently at the girl in front of him. They had both resisted and lost. Anything that told them to keep their distance, to stay away, was not strong enough. “What are we doing?” Aloy gasped, her hot breath brushing across his cheek.

“I don’t know,” Avad realized, trying but failing to piece it all together. “I tried to ignore it, but I can’t.”

“I’m supposed to hate you.” Aloy swallowed, trying to make sense of her own mind. “I don’t want to. They’re wrong. I know they are.”

“No, they’re not,” Avad refuted, tenderly cradling her cheeks. “I could kill you. Any one of my kind can. Many of them enjoy tormenting their prey long before they choose to kill them.”

Aloy shook her head. “Not you. Don’t compare yourself to others. They made their choices, and you made yours.” Avad shuddered at her certainty. Never would he have dreamed that a witch would choose to accept him, to not loop him into a group with the monsters he despised.

Gods, she was beautiful. He’d seen many beautiful women, had loved several as well, but she was… something else entirely. He felt it with as much certainty as he did with his bleak existence. And when, at last, Aloy allowed herself to brush her fingers across his neck and jaw, Avad felt a primal craving he’d never felt before. This was insanity. He barely knew the girl, having shared only three complete conversations with her. And yet if any being tried to harm her, he would kill them.

Aloy removed her coat and made herself at home, Avad being her constant shadow as she made herself a cup of coffee. He would brush his hand against hers, craving touch as badly as she did. They didn’t speak for a while, finding that each other’s mere presence was enough. Avad couldn’t decode this, hard as he tried.

He’d loved women throughout his immortal centuries, albeit only consummating it with one. It was through her that he had met his dearest friend. It was forbidden. Werewolves and vampires were even older enemies than vampires and witches. And yet he had loved one. She was strong, shrewd, and capable. She never feared anything, and he’d admired her for it. It had last for several years until one of her pack discovered the truth and slaughtered her. He could do nothing to Avad. The creature was too strong, and had destroyed him in revenge of his lover's death. The vampire didn’t think anything would replace the hole in his chest.

And then there was Aloy. There was deep magic at work here that pulled him to her. It couldn’t be a love spell, could it? If it were, it would’ve only affected him, but the witch clearly mirrored his symptoms. It was she who looked for him. He had initiated the first kiss, but it was she who sought him out and claimed him a second time.

They wound up sitting on the floor opposite of each other, knees pressing against each other. Avad watched her drink her coffee, sensing how it warmed her body further. “Ask me,” he spoke suddenly, causing her to look up from her mug.

“Ask you what?”

“You know precisely what I speak of.”

Aloy’s eyes widened. Was he seriously permitting her to ask questions he’d previously forbade her from pursuing? She knew which question to ask first. “How old are you?”

Avad paused for a period of time, and Aloy wondered if he would even answer or if he had permitted her to ask only to torment her. “I am one thousand, three hundred, and eighty-two years old,” he finally answered. Aloy nearly dropped her mug.

“You’re _what_?” she gasped. Avad nodded in confirmation.

“Yes, I am an excessively old creature,” he stated in a slightly humorous tone. “I was born in the city of Srinagar which is in what is now called Kashmir in northern India. I was a prince of the Karkota dynasty.”

Aloy took a shuddering intake of breath. “Oh my God….” She set down her mug. It explained his dark complexion and formal manners. She now wondered if some of the objects in his home were from when he was human. “Do you remember much from your previous life?”

Avad offered her a grin. “Not much, I fear. I know I had multiple brothers and sisters, and that my father was cruel. I remember having just been newly married to a princess of a neighboring kingdom, although I can no longer recall her face—much less anyone else from my human life.” He stood up and wandered into his bedroom, returning a minute later with a rich ebony box in his hands. Sitting down, he opened the lid to reveal a beautiful gold ring inside. “Apparently this was a wedding gift from one of my father’s wives,” he informed her.

Aloy set aside her mug and tentatively touched the ancient jewelry. It was simple but beautiful, befitting of its owner. “Do you still wear it?”

“No. It is a painful reminder of what I lost,” Avad refuted, closing the lid. His fingers didn’t move from the wood.

Aloy’s hand rested on top of his. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, empathy coursing through her in waves. “I can’t imagine losing the people I love like that.”

Avad’s smile was wry but he said nothing. He didn’t know what possessed him to tell her this truth. Only three other people in the world knew where he came from, and yet here he was, willing to reveal his secrets to a young witch. Instead of judgement, he found comfort. “Thank you,” he replied softly. His hand turned heavenward, and he found Aloy’s hand intertwine with it.

“Do you still visit India?”

“I move back from time to time. It’s a large country, so blending in isn’t very difficult. It’s only when Helis finds me that trouble does as well.”

“I’ll bet,” Aloy chuckled.

“Your other question now.” Aloy held her tongue when Avad said this. Should he really be revealing the most important pieces of him? The pieces that kept him safe from harm? He knew she could hurt him—kill him, even—and yet he didn’t shy away from her probing now.

“What kind of magic can you do? I know the generic stuff. Being able to be out in the sun, Compulsion, connecting your essence with your maker’s. But what’s something you do that others can’t?”

Avad chuckled. She knew a little more than he had anticipated. The witches didn’t forget a thing, did they? “I can Compel vampires, as is typical with others my age. I can enter the minds of any mortal or immortal being, however another being’s magic affects how easily I can do this. I have not tried to enter your mind, so I cannot say exactly what will happen if I do. Your magic is incomprehensible.”

Aloy ducked her head down. She’d never liked how her powers set her apart from others in her coven. Jealousy was a petty weapon that several of her sisters had utilized. It had made her angry, but never apologetic. The Goddess had given her these gifts for a reason, and she wasn’t about to waste them. Especially not when her life was in danger. “Anything else?” she wondered.

“Fire obeys my will,” the vampire continued, “as well as objects. I’m afraid that’s the end of my list.” He inspected her coffee and found it cold, so he took it and stood, wandering back into the kitchen with the witch in tow.

“The flame changed color during the spell.”

“I suspected as such. It is an ancient magic.”

“How’d you find it?”

“I didn’t. A very old friend of mine did. He has easier access to witches than I ever have been. He is a very strange character, to say the least.”

Aloy hummed. “I had to make up my own words,” she told him.

Avad paused. “Yes, the words were impossible to be relayed. I had high hopes that you would be able to manage on your own.” He offered her a fresh cup of coffee, which she took.

“A lot of expectation for a twenty year-old girl, don’t you think?”

The creature laughed. “In normal circumstances, yes, but you are hardly normal, even for a witch.” Avad tucked a strand of Aloy’s hair behind her ear, tracing his finger over her earrings in curiosity.

“I like earrings,” Aloy stated with a shrug. “The more the merrier, as they say.”

“You have three on your left lobe, two on your right, a conch, a tragus, and a cartilage. Do I have the correct names?”

Aloy nodded and sipped from her mug. “Rost had a stroke when I came home with a few new holes the first time. My lobes were initially done when I was ten. They just keep adding on.”

Avad glanced at the silver that donned her ears before gazing at her properly again. He lifted his hand, caressing her cheek with his fingers. “Stay with me tonight,” he muttered, surprising even himself.

The request was unexpected. Aloy’s mouth gaped and closed again. “I… I can’t,” she refused, hating the words that flew from her tongue. “Nakoa wouldn’t be too happy with me. She’s not exactly a fan of yours.” She sighed and set aside her mug, feeling Avad’s other hand at the small of her back. There was no resistance as he kissed her. He didn’t argue with her, or begged, or attempted to Compel her. He kissed her sweet lips, bundled her up in her coat, and let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't plan to make this chapter as long as it wound up being, but it was a bit of a rollercoaster, eh?  
> So yeah, emotions are running high stemmed from confusion and this mysterious "cord".  
> If you want more information on Srinagar in India or the Karkota Dynasty, hit me up. I enjoy sharing the information I've done research on. ^.^  
> Aloy with multiple ear piercings is very valid to me. :P  
> We're officially three days away from Halloween! What are your plans for the holiday? Let me know in the comments!


	3. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three down, two to go!  
> Erend makes a very brief appearance in this chapter. I thought about featuring him more in the story but I couldn’t really make him fit in comfortably. I intend on putting him in one shots and the like sometime in the future.  
> Have a wonderful evening and please enjoy. ^.^

She visited him many times. They learned more from each other, and when any trace of Helis or his followers were found, she came with him. Aloy continued her schoolwork, grateful for the minute reprieve that winter holidays provided. She celebrated Yule with her coven, and had even managed to steal a kiss from Avad under some mistletoe. He found the human tradition endearing.

Following the New Year, traces of Helis began to reemerge. They came in a sea of newborns, all wild with thirst. Avad struggled to get a handle on them all, Compelling them into obedience. Aloy didn’t like it at first until a couple had gotten too close for comfort. She and Nakoa had come home one day to find a pair of vampires trying to jump them. The witches were able to handle them well enough

Nakoa had managed to pull Aloy’s secret from her, but the redhead couldn’t find the right word to describe her relationship with Avad. Dating didn’t seem quite suitable but this was hardly a fling. Her best friend had hated it at first, but a few more meetings with Avad made her change her opinion of him. 

Avad, meanwhile, was at just as much of a loss as Aloy was. So when at last Erend came into town, he was the first to be asked.

The men patrolled a local bar one evening, ignoring the many women—and some men—who attempted to garner their attentions. With Aloy eternally on his mind now, it was hard for Avad to find anyone in there attractive.

Erend downed his glass of beer, Avad’s wine untouched. “Okay then,” the werewolf started, interrupting the vampire from his thoughts. “Tell me more about this witch of yours.”

Avad explained the circumstances before expressing his confusion in how she dominated his existence. He felt guilt too, as if in some way he was perhaps betraying his former lover, Ersa, Erend’s sister. Instead of anything Avad may have expected from his best friend, the other man merely burst into laughter.

“Avad, how is it that a _werewolf_ knows what’s going on instead of you?” he jested. “She’s your mate, you idiot.”

Needless to say, Avad’s sense of idiocy increased tenfold. It seemed that much that revolved around Aloy managed to elude him. “I don’t understand how,” he started. “She’s not a vampire. She's a witch.”

“It’s a rare thing for my kind, I can tell you that. Magic is weird. It picks out who you’re least likely to go insane from being with. Normally it sticks to your own kind, but it can bind you to another type of creature.”

The vampire had never come across a mated pair that weren’t both already vampires upon meeting save for several, but one of the two had always been human. It went against a vampire’s instincts. The warm blood of humans were a natural part of vampires’ diets, but a witch was something else. Their magic made their blood not only sweeter, but it made vampires more powerful.

But it answered so many questions. Their obsession with each other, the constant craving of her touch, and his inexplicable desire to keep her safe had been so confusing before. He should’ve known sooner, but the idea of being mated to a witch had never even crossed his mind.

He found her on her way home from campus one afternoon, following her until she reached her apartment. Avad watched  Nakoa leave to visit family for the weekend, and when he was certain Aloy was alone, he entered her home. He needed no invitation anymore; she had invited him in weeks ago. And every time, she knew he was there. Today was no different.

“Avad,” he heard her sweet voice call, beckoning him to her like a siren. He strode toward her in her tiny apartment, grappling her around the waist with his arms and pressing her against the wall. Aloy clawed at his jacket, clinging to him like a lifeline. She shivered when his nose pressed against her neck, but she didn’t fear the proximity to her jugular artery. He only ever kissed the side of her throat.

“Hello,” the creature crooned, pecking her lips a final time before pulling away. Aloy looked slightly dazed. “Wake up, love. There is still much sun left in the sky.”

Aloy chuckled and shook her head in amusement. “Don’t you have excessively important and wealthy mortals to have meetings with or something?” she teased.

“Hardly.” Avad inhaled, first hit with a fresh wave of her scent before detecting a hint of incense. “Ritual or spell this morning?”

“Spell. I had a test I knew I hadn’t studied hard enough for.”

“Last I recall, that’s cheating.”

Aloy snorted and playfully shoved him off her. “I do better handling machinery than I do writing about it,” she retorted. The remnants of her spell still sat on the floor, grimoire open with its instructions. Avad always looked at it in curiosity, and despite Aloy’s constant reminder that he’d never be able to read it, he still tried. It always resulted in Aloy explaining what the spell in question was used for.

Avad loomed as he watched Aloy clear up her craft, feeling the strength of her magic prickle when she touched each of the objects she had used. As she rinsed out her ash tray, Avad’s arms found their way around her waist again. “I discovered something new last night,” he informed her, wary of how she would take this newfound bit of information.

“Something about Helis?” she inquired.

“No, something more… meaningful.” He patiently waited for her to finish before she twisted around, encircling his waist with her arms as well. “What do you know about vampires and their emotions? Their relationships?”

The questions gave her pause, but she answered them. “Well, ask your average witch, and they’ll tell you that vampires have no emotions,” she grumbled. A year ago, she had felt the same way, but knowing Avad had taught her so many things twenty years of life hadn’t given her. “I sense that vampires feel very deeply. It’s intense, no matter the emotion. Anger, fear, and love can probably cause drastic measures.”

With a nod, Avad confirmed, “Yes, we do. Vampires can switch off our emotions, so in a sense your people are correct, but it is foolish to presume that all vampires are void of emotion. As of late, I’ve found my emotions to be on a heightened scale in which I’ve never been affected by before. I had thought it was pure madness, or an infatuation with the unknown. From the moment I’ve met you, I have found myself seeing the world in a different light.”

“Avad, what is this about?” Aloy demanded. Avad silenced her by kissing her for a brief moment before pulling away.

“I don’t want you to panic. I’m just as lost about this as you are.”

“Avad….”

The vampire sighed and closed his eyes, summoning all of his courage. “Aloy, there is a bond vampires have to each other that not even werewolves possess in the same circumstances. For them, it’s about compatibility and strength. For my kind it’s… it’s an emotional connection that not a single creature has been able to break. I fear your reaction because I’ve never heard of a witch sharing this bond with a vampire.”

“Avad, cut the crap and get to the point,” Aloy snapped.

Avad fought back a hiss, complying to her demands instead. “We’re mated to each other, Aloy.”

Whatever Aloy had been expecting, it certainly wasn’t that. Her jaw slacked as she stared up at him, struggling to process what he was saying. “What… what exactly does that mean?” she wondered.

With a sigh, Avad took her hand and led her over to the couch. Aloy sat down stiffly, trying to get a reading off him. He was as unbending as marble. “I’ll never be able to love another,” he told her plainly. “Not even if I live for another thousand years. Even if you die. My soul—if I even have one anymore—is eternally bound to you. Every vampire I have met who lost their mate became suicidal. So far, they’ve all succeeded in that venture.”

“Oh my God.” Aloy rubbed her face with her hands. “So, what about me? How does this kind of bond affect me?”

“As I’ve said, you’re the first witch I’ve ever known to be involved in a thing such as this. I suppose all we can only learn as time goes on, if you allow me to remain at your side.”

“And if I don’t?”

Avad sucked in a breath, and Aloy immediately felt guilty for asking. Her hand grasped his without even thinking, and after a moment, his hand turned upward and intertwined their fingers. “I won’t be able to function as I used to,” he mumbled darkly.

“Do… vampires sense when their mates die?”

He nodded. “Yes. I’ve felt the agony of it from others who have had to endure it. I’m terrified of that day.” Aloy bit her lip. She was a witch, but that didn’t make her immortal. If something were to happen to Avad, would she feel the agony of separation? The vampire seemed to sense a rise in distress, as she found herself tucked into his side.

Avad brushed his nose against her head, a sound rumbling deep in his chest. Aloy paused, trying to determine the noise. It was sweet and comforting, like a cat purring. It caused her to smile to herself. Apparently vampires could purr. “That’s nice,” she whispered, pressing her ear against his chest. Her free hand clutched his shirt, eyelids closing. Their circumstances were nothing like she could have predicted, but it felt so easy. So natural.

“I’m yours, Aloy,” Avad murmured, kissing her hairline. His free hand rested on top of their entwined hands. Her warmth comforted him.

“Okay.” Aloy couldn’t be afraid of this. It was magic at the deepest level, a magic that bound two people in a way that couldn’t be broken down by time or death. The witch found herself brushing her lips across Avad’s throat, trailing along his jaw. His head turned, and their mouths joined in a soft kiss. They were lost and confused, but they weren’t alone.

 

Aloy’s eyes opened to sunlight filtering through the window. A weight was draped over her waist, and when she peaked over her shoulder she could see Avad resting beside her. Carefully she turned onto her other side and allowed herself to study his features. He wasn’t breathing, which was something she had grown accustomed to. Vampires don’t need air, so their lungs stop working while in slumber.

Lithe fingers trailed over dark skin, brushing thick eyebrows down to the slope of his nose before tracing his lips. Out of nowhere Avad growled and his eyes flew open, teeth lightly bared. Aloy pulled her hand back, eyes wide. The creature promptly registered who had touched him, and his features softened. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, propping himself up on his arm.

“No, it’s fine,” Aloy assured him. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Avad tentatively lifted his hand and brushed back Aloy’s tangled hair. “I’m not used to being touched like that,” he admitted.

“Didn’t you have lovers?”

“Only one I shared a bed with, and she was not… as affectionate as you are.”

Aloy hummed, shrugged, and then kissed him. Avad chuckled against her lips. Affectionate she was indeed. He craved it. Her touch was soft and unassuming. Did she trust him? He hoped she did after all this time. He stopped trying to think about it, instead finding himself crawling above her. The vampire kept his weight off her petite frame, but he found pleasure in the fact that the witch tried to pull him closer to her.

Against her better judgement, Aloy’s hands smoothed over Avad’s chest, her fingers slipping buttons out of buttonholes until she could feel his skin. Avad didn’t resist, his hand slithering between the mattress and her lower back. Aloy’s hands were hot on his chest and he craved it with a hunger. His lips pressed against her collarbone, teeth nipping lightly.

When Aloy felt his the tip of his tongue brush lightly against her throat, she shuddered. An odd thought entered her mind: had he fed? Avad lifted his head and gazed down at her with a puzzled look. “Did you just speak?” he asked her.

“I-No,” she stated incredulously. “I was just thinking….”

“I heard you.” Avad cupped her cheek, caressing his thumb against her skin. He kissed her softly, purring lightly as Aloy’s fingers curled in his hair.

The witch tested this newfound development, showing him what she saw when he had saved her from Helis. She showed him what she saw when she performed the spell he gave her, letting him hear the rich words of her people’s language. Avad reeled back, gazing down at her intensely. He laughed softly. Hearing her sweet voice speak the alluring language was in itself like magic.

Aloy trailed her fingernails down his chest. He was more beautiful than all the sculptures of ancient Rome. Avad groaned lightly. He could still hear her thoughts, and he wasn’t even trying to enter her mind. They kissed deeply, the vampire stroking her sides with his fingers. Aloy licked his lower lip, curling her toes as his chest rumbled in a growl. “Show me,” she whispered, brushing her thumb over his mouth.

Avad needed no clarification. Slowly, he allowed for both sets of his fangs to extend, his already dark eyes blackening like a starless night. Carefully, Aloy traced the tip of his teeth with her fingertip, gasping when she felt her skin be pierced. Their eyes locked, Avad’s tongue flicking against her skin. Her blood was the sweetest flavor he had ever tasted. He moaned softly, suckling the small wound. Aloy had to admit, the sensation was strangely erotic.

Their lips sealed together, and Aloy could taste a hint of her own blood on her tongue. She arched into him, Avad hitching her leg over his hip. “Aloy,” he whispered, brushing his lips over her jaw.

Aloy sighed heavily, her veins burning like liquid fire. “Do it,” she whispered, gently pressing his head against her neck. “It’s okay. I want you to.”

Avad hesitated, his hand slowly sliding over the back of her neck. He was afraid to hurt her, but Aloy was insisting. Gently, his lips pressed against her neck, brushing his nose and long along the length. His fangs had remained extended, and so with great care, he pressed them into her flesh.

Aloy gasped at the sudden hint of pain, but it melted away into an unnamed pleasure. Her sigh was soft in Avad’s ear as he retracted his teeth. His tongue brushed up the trickle of red fluid, swallowing the divine wine. He sucked softly, careful not to take too much. He’d never taken blood without any form of force before, but as he felt Aloy’s hands curl in his hair and pull him closer, he wouldn’t need to. Not with her.

Mind cloudy, Aloy watched Avad pull away. His tongue darted out to claim the last of her blood on his lips. She shuddered. “Is that better?” she asked him, touching the fresh wound experimentally. It had already closed.

The creature could see her confusion. “Vampire saliva allows us to close the wound when we’re finished,” he informed her, “and yes, that was wonderful. I… thank you, Aloy.”

They shared another kiss, Avad’s fingers caressing through Aloy’s hair. He leaned back, pulling her with him. The vampire’s eyes closed, his body shivering. The power he felt coming from her blood was inexplicable. The magic burning in his gut was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Aloy watched him with concern, gently cupping his cheek. “Deep breaths,” she whispered encouragingly. Avad complied.

“I knew your magic was strong, but….” Avad shuddered again.

“Does it hurt?”

Avad shook his head. “No, just unexpected.”

Aloy kissed his head. Now she could see why Helis had been after her. Avad looked like he was on a high, and no doubt his own powers would be strengthened while her blood was in his system. “I’ll grab something to eat. Just sit a minute until you can get a grip,” she told him.

The vampire chuckled. “Normally I’m the one saying that to others.”

“Right, superhuman senses and all that.”

“’And all that,’” Avad echoed with a smirk, watching as Aloy stood up to quickly go into the bathroom before filling a bowl with cereal and milk. The vampire buttoned up his shirt again and prowled around the tiny apartment. In all his centuries, he never once stayed in a room that was even this small of a size. He had been born a prince, after all, and Helis always had a taste for the finer things in life.

Aloy eyed him as she munched on her breakfast. The wrinkle in his brow told her he didn’t necessarily approve of her living circumstances, but he had never once complained of the lacking space. He had, however, included his own touch in the decorating. For Yule, Avad had gifted her with a statue of the god Lord Krishna. The idol was placed on an empty bookshelf for all to see. Aloy doubted All-Mother would mind.

The cereal bowl was rinsed and placed in the sink to be washed later. Aloy found Avad staring at the window, and so with near silent footsteps she approached him and encircled his waist with her arms. Pink lips pressed softly between his shoulder blades. Avad’s hands covered hers. “Have you thought more about our circumstances?” he inquired.

“What’s there to talk about?” Aloy questioned. “We’re bonded by some supernatural force that can’t be broken. We’re attracted to each other. By mortal standards, we’ve been dating for months. I have literally no interest in anyone else. I _want_ you, Avad.”

Avad circled around and faced her, lifting his arms and cupping her jaw with his hands. Carefully he tilted Aloy’s head to the side and gazed at the mark he had made on her neck. Gently, he brushed the two healed punctured with his fingertips. “This mark,” he started, “will never fade. I have made you mine. Perhaps one day you will mark me in the same way.”

Aloy’s hand rested against her neck, pondering this revelation. While she wish she had known this sooner, it didn’t bother her. “There is a way I can do it now,” she whispered.

“Then do it,” Avad murmured huskily, eager. He wanted other vampires to know he belonged to another.

Aloy shivered, carefully pressing her palm flat against the center of his chest. Her eyes closed, lips forming an incantation. The words were unknowable to Avad, but he could feel its meaning all the same. She was claiming him. The heat branching out from her touch made him feel alive. When the witch stopped, he nearly begged her to continue. Aloy’s eyes opened and she gazed up at him. “It’s done.”

Avad kissed her, practically crushing her to him. “How was it done?” he wondered. Aloy laughed at his eagerness to learn about her magic.

“It’s difficult to explain. Think of it like a barrier. Unless they’re mortal, people will know that you aren’t available for anyone else. I think vampires may be able to smell it. I don’t know. The book I took this spell from wasn’t very clear. Whoever created it certainly didn’t want anyone else touching her man.”

The creature pressed his nose in her hair. “I like this better than my mark, if I’m being honest,” he uttered. Aloy snorted.

“I’m so dead,” Aloy whispered, pressing her face in his chest.

“I didn’t think the mark would take, since you’re not a vampire. I feel like I learned nothing in the last thousand years of my life.”

Aloy nipped at his neck. Vampire or not, the urge to do it was impossible to ignore. “Thanks for that,” she taunted teasingly. “Good thing it’s still the season for scarves.”

“I doubt your Matriarchs will take kindly should they find out.”

“No, they won’t, and I honestly don’t know what to tell them.”

Avad sighed, distracting himself by tangling his fingers through her hair. Gods, he loved this shade of red. “They won’t understand, particularly if they’re still waging war on my kind,” he mused.

Aloy stole a kiss. “Let me worry about the Matriarchs. If they banish me for being mated to a vampire, that’s their own problem. Our problem is still Helis.” Of course, she was right. The coven of witches was the least of his worries. Helis was inching closer to New York with bodies in his wake. Avad would rather lose his soul than let Aloy fall into his maker’s clutches.

 

“So the mating thing is real?”

Aloy nodded, peaking up from her cup of hot chocolate as she and Nakoa sat in a private corner of the nearby Starbucks. Nakoa’s hands clasped around her espresso as she processed this information. It brought a lot of clarity to the additional situation of Avad’s ever-growing presence, but it also presented more questions. What did this mean for Aloy? Would the coven truly banish their most powerful witch if they discovered this?

“I used the claiming spell,” Aloy explained, “since I can’t mark him physically.”

Nakoa’s eyebrows shot up. “Was that a good idea?”

“He’s mine. There’s no way in hell I’m letting some crazy vampire lady try and steal him from me.” Aloy shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“And what’s this thing about marking him physically?”

“Don’t freak, okay?” Aloy carefully freed the knot of her scarf, pulling away the fabric and her hair away from the left side of her neck. Despite it being a couple days, it hadn’t changed at all from when Avad had healed it.

Nakoa nearly dropped her cup. “Aloy! Wh—”

“Shh!” Aloy covered her friend’s mouth with her hand.

The blonde glared and pried away Aloy’s mouth. “I wasn’t freaking out, I was trying to ask a question,” she retorted with a roll of her eyes. “When did it happen?”

“Over the weekend, while you were away. Avad came over on Friday, and he stayed over up until he heard you coming.” Aloy placed the scarf strategically over the two little wounds. “I can’t even put into words what it’s like. With him. He makes my veins feel like they’re on fire, but he’s so gentle.”

“Does it hurt at all?” Nakoa wondered.

“The first time it did,” Aloy admitted. “But now… now I barely notice.” Aloy wrung her fingers together. She didn’t feel particularly comfortable with sharing too much about this intimate interaction that she and Avad shared. In a way it seemed like it was more intimate than sex—not that she’s ever had it.

Now Aloy’s mind was wandering, wondering what it would be like to share not only her blood with Avad but also her body. She tried distracting herself from such thoughts by chugging down the last of her hot cocoa before it got cold. After this the girls would be going to the grocery store to pick up their usual supplies, and in that time Aloy would grab a couple supplements for her iron. A little boost never hurt anyone.

The pair grabbed their bags and headed out to the local market, checking items off of their list as they went. Nakoa gave Aloy a wry grin when the redhead picked up a bottle of vitamins and a package of spinach, earning a jab in the ribs. Raisins found their way in the cart soon after.

Lastly was their herb supply, as recent spellcasting required them to get some more. Avad had formed a habit of sending them more difficult herbs to obtain from time to time. Nakoa had to admire his devotion not only to Aloy, but also to her craft. She was honestly surprised that the vampire hadn’t tried to convince Aloy to move in with him yet. Or maybe he has and the witch hadn’t said anything about it.

Their apartment was chilly, the heater barely hanging on to dear life. Aloy sighed and tried to revitalize it with some magic, but the pitiful thing just groaned and died again. “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” she snapped, kicking at it. Nakoa sighed, turning on the oven and opening its door. It would be adequate enough for a while until they figured out what to do next.

They stocked up their fridge and cabinets, keeping their coats on. This was a really bad time to be low on funds, Aloy noted to herself. The two had moved into the shoebox of an apartment to gain some independence from the coven, but now it was more of an inconvenience than anything. She’d call Rost, but he was out of town for work right now, and Nakoa’s aunt didn’t have room. It was hardly even worth mentioning that the blonde’s brother was studying in London.

After some debating and persuasion, they decided the best course of action had to be Avad. Aloy grabbed her phone and dialed hastily. He picked up after the first ring. “Aloy,” he crooned warmly.

“Hi,” Aloy muttered softly, unable to wipe her stupid grin off her face. “Um, I hate to be a bother, but Nakoa and I have… a situation.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Our heater died.”

The line was silent for a brief moment. “Give me a few minutes, love.” The phone went dead. Aloy snorted and shook her head.

“So, what’d he say?” Nakoa asked.

“He’s on his way.”

Nakoa shivered in her coat. “Any chance he could come faster? I’m freezing my ass off.”

A knock resounded from the door. Aloy perked up and wandered over, opening up to reveal Avad’s attractive form. Her hand grasped his as she led him inside. He went over to the heater underneath the window and crouched to inspect it. “I gather magic was attempted?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Aloy confirmed. “No luck.”

“Hmm, aren’t you studying to be an engineer?”

Aloy rolled her eyes. “How do you think that thing stayed alive for as long as it did?”

Avad chuckled. Fair enough. With a sigh he turned to the witches. “There’s nothing further I can do with this. Either you both buy a new one or you’ll have to find a place to stay until you do.”

Nakoa shook her head. “We can’t afford a new heater and there’s no way we’ll be able to find anyone on such a short notice,” she refuted.

Avad glanced at Aloy, unsure how she would respond to his next words. “I’d be more than happy to purchase a new heater for you,” he offered.

The witches caught eyes with each other. “Avad….” Aloy started.

“Love, I understand your need to remain independent and I respect that, But I’m asking you to allow me to take care of you for once,” the vampire implored his mate. “I will even welcome you both to stay in my apartment until the heater can be replaced, but it’s up to you.”

Aloy bit her lip, brushing her hair back with her hand. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt….” She waited for Nakoa’s response.

The other witch crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine,” she huffed. “It’s too damn cold in here to argue.”

That was more than enough for Avad. He called a cab while the witches packed overnight bags, and when they arrived at his apartment he ran ahead to prepare for his guests. Nakoa was given the guest room while Aloy was more than happy to share Avad’s room. She had missed him these past couple days so it would be nice to sleep beside him tonight.

It was the first time Nakoa had set foot in Avad’s home, and she was fascinated with the fact that food was readily available in the kitchen. Aloy was quick to fill the kettle with water and set it on the stove. Avad gave Nakoa a tour while the hot chocolate was being made.

Fresh, fluffy towels awaited the witches for their showers, their bags patiently waiting for them on their respective beds. Nakoa had been unsure of Avad all this time, but when she saw how easily Aloy melted into the vampire’s side after curling up next to him on the couch, it warmed her heart. She felt guilty for judging a lonely vampire based on what she had been taught all her life. Avad was eternally sweet and mindful to Aloy’s wishes, hovering behind her like a shadow as her guardian and lover.

Aloy shared her blood again that night after she and Nakoa retired. The power that surged through Avad’s body after he partook in the divine fluid was addictive, but the most powerful sensation of all was the knowledge that Aloy allowed him to taste her. She fed him, giving him strength he’d never had before. Avad wanted a way to repay her for her sacrifice—no matter how minimal she saw it—but he didn’t have much to give.

Still, after her wound healed and she rested her head in the crook of his arm, Aloy would share a deep kiss with Avad. She would assure him that she was fine, commanding that he stop worrying about her. He couldn’t help it. Her well-being was more important to him than any other worldly thing. He would accept her kisses and deliver some in return. “Rest, little witch,” he crooned with a smirk, earning a wry grin in return.

“Get some sleep, too, you worry wart,” Aloy returned cheekily. Avad rolled his eyes before kissing the tip of her nose.

“Yes, ma’am,” he teased. He wrapped the blanket snugly around her as she shifted, ensuring she was nice and warm. Avad stayed awake until Aloy fell into a peaceful slumber. Only then would he allow himself to hibernate with his mate. They would save their fears for the rebirth of the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *fans self* It got a little hot in here, don’t you think?  
> I couldn’t resist breaking the heater. A NYC vlogger I watch had that happen to them and I thought it would be fun to add a bit of humor.  
> If you have any questions regarding the whole mating thing (or anything else, really), drop a comment. I’ll answer as best as I can. :)  
> Thank you for reading and have a wonderful rest of the week!


	4. Safe in His Embrace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow’s the big day! Anyone else gonna be a hermit and watch vampire movies like me? :P  
> This chapter gets a little gnarly. I try not to write too graphically with the violence, but some people handle it better than others.  
> Rost makes an appearance! So yay for Rost! ^.^  
> Please enjoy this chapter. :D

Aloy’s heart thudded soundly against her chest. She knew Avad was close. Watching. Waiting. She trailed her hand over the trees, marking them with her scent. She’d left behind traces of her blood throughout New York, leading the beast to her location. The creature had been careful, staying far enough away from his mate so as not to contaminate her trail while remaining close to her in case she needed him.

The beast was closer than any of them knew. He knew that his creation had mated with the witch, but he didn’t care. He’d drain her of her rich blood before he’d torture the foolish boy. Death would be too good for him. He had betrayed his maker. He deserved to live in agony separated from his little witch.

It was nighttime, and despite it being springtime, it was chilly. Aloy wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to hold in her body heat. Nakoa had offered to come, but Aloy told her to stay home. She was more than happy to risk her own life, but she wouldn’t let Helis anywhere near her best friend.

The location had been chosen specifically for its isolation. It was far from mortal residences, although Aloy dreaded to think how the forest rangers would feel about the damage in the morning. If she survived this, she would use some elemental magic to heal the Earth. There wouldn’t be much she would be able to do for any felled trees, however.

A rustle caused her to jump, but it was just some wildlife skittering past. Aloy huffed and rubbed her eyes. “Calm down, Aloy. You’re not helping herself by getting paranoid,” she mumbled.

“Do others of your kind speak to themselves, child?”

Aloy gasped and whirled around. There was Helis, massive as a werewolf and paler than the moon, eyes like liquid silver and hair an inky black. He was just as horrifying as when she had last seen him. _All-Mother protect us,_ Aloy thought to herself.

“Your goddess can’t protect you now,” Helis continued in his disgustingly silky voice.

“You can enter minds too,” Aloy stated. It wasn’t a question.

Helis snickered as he stepped closer to her. “Very good,” he hummed. “Avad tells you everything, doesn’t he?”

Aloy swallowed. She didn’t like how close Helis was. Was Avad near? Her hands closed into fists. “So what if he does? You don’t own him anymore. He owes you nothing,” she spat.

Helis’ head bent in close to her, causing the witch to take a step back. “I made him,” the beast snapped. “If it weren’t for me, he would have lived a meaningless life, dying as a frail old man. I gave him life eternal, to take whatever he wanted. To live how he pleased. But instead of showing me gratitude, he clung to his humanity.”

“So that’s why you abandoned him? He didn’t worship at your feet like you wanted him to?” It was a little tricky for Aloy to keep her emotions in check. Her anger could cause her magic to flash out before she was ready.

“I don’t require worship, only loyalty.”

“I cannot be loyal to a monster.” Aloy turned to see her vampire emerge from the shadows. She felt much better now that Avad was here to back her up.

Helis was merely amused. “Avad,” he purred. “Have you come to watch me take away what you love?”

Avad shook his head once. “No, Helis,” he refuted. “I’ve come to reclaim her.”

Aloy kept her mind closed as she ducked out of the way, watching as Avad’s body slammed into Helis’. The only sounds in the forest were that of ripping, hissing, and the gnashing of teeth. Aloy was strategic, looking for all the right angles before placing her own attacks. With a flourish of hands and words whispered in her ancient tongue, her magic would force Helis back or create unseen walls.

Avad’s wall of fire was met with strong forces thrusting him to the ground. Aloy’s blood strengthened him, and he found he was capable of creating lesser forms of her own magic. The pair actively closed their minds off from Helis, and yet were capable of holding an understanding between each other. Avad would hold Helis down, Aloy would afflict a pain the beast had never before felt.

Helis roared, fangs frighteningly bared. He lunged from the earth and jumped Avad, crashing them both into the ground. They were rolling and twisting so fast that Aloy couldn’t place a decisive attack without harming Avad as well. The witch raked shaking hands through her hair, ignorant of the strands being pulled out from her braid. The men’s nails thrashed through each other’s flesh with almost no scrap of clothing left. Avad had managed to tear at Helis’ shoulder, but he cried out when the beast cut his fingers into his abdomen.

Aloy felt like she was going to be sick. Her hand pressed against her own abdomen as if she could feel Avad’s pain, like she could feel her own blood pool from her body. “No,” she gasped, dropping to her knees. All she could feel was anguish. Her breathing shuddered, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She could hear Helis saying something to Avad, but she couldn’t make out the words. She then realized it was a language she didn’t know. Was it some ancient, dead language or was it Avad’s native tongue? She couldn’t figure it out.

The pain was getting worse. Aloy knew that Helis wouldn’t be able to kill Avad this way. Her mate was too old to die from such a superficial wound. Helis intended to make Avad too weak to fight back, force him to watch as the beast drained the life out of her. Helis clearly understood how the mating bond worked, how Avad’s pain translated into her own. He was trying to make her too weak to fight back too. She wouldn’t let him win.

With a scream, she felt her magic thrash out of her body like a tsunami, blasting Helis off of her vampire. Avad cried out as Helis’ massive hand was yanked out of his body, rolling over to his side and clutching at his wound. Aloy rose to her feet, ignoring the pain that continued to fester in her stomach. “Helis!” she hollered, stomping across the grass toward him. “You’ll never hurt another being again!”

She didn’t know what possessed her, but her magic seemed to have a will of its own as it again thrashed Helis about. He attempted to fight back with his own powers, but he couldn’t find them. He tried getting back on his feet, but he was thrust into the ground once more. Aloy used forceful magic to pin him down, her eyes wild with rage. The beast’s voice was strangled; she had forced his throat to close.

The witch straddled him, grasping his arms. She knew what she had to do to end this. With the strength of her magic, she ripped Helis’ limbs away from his body, his blood pooling into the ground. He yelled at the sudden pain, struggling to fight her off with his legs, but Aloy would not relent. She wanted him dead.

Aloy tore him apart with her power and rage, blind to the amount of blood that clung to her clothes and hair. Without any feeling, she used her magic and lit the shredded pieces aflame, closing her eyes as she felt the heat of the fire. She could smell the burning flesh but was numb to it. Such an anticlimactic demise for such an ancient beast, but she did not care. Helis was dead. The world was safe from him forever.

A groan of pain alerted Aloy to her surroundings. Whipping around, she saw Avad attempting to drag himself to her. With a cry Aloy ran to him, crashing forcefully onto her knees. “Avad!” she choked, pulling him into his lap. “Oh God.” She pressed her hand against his wound, the other stroking his hair. She hadn’t noticed the blood on her hands.

“Aloy,” the creature managed to gasp, groaning in pain. “You did it, love. He’s gone.” Avad managed a weak smile.

“You’re bleeding,” Aloy moaned.

“It’ll stop.”

Aloy shook her head. “No, _I’ll_ make it stop.” She closed her eyes, barely managing to mumble out the words she needed. Avad groaned deeply, first from pain and then from instantaneous relief. He supposed if her magic had been powerful enough to single-handedly destroy his maker, a little flesh wound would be nothing to her.

“That’s better,” Avad whispered. He glanced up at his savior, feebly lifting a hand to cup her cheek. “You’re so beautiful….”

Aloy couldn’t help but laugh. “Even drenched in blood?” she realized, noting the red that coated her body.

“Even then.” Avad laughed with her.

Aloy smiled, bending down to kiss him softly. “I love you,” she whispered. Avad’s face softened.

“I love you too.” They kissed again, and with no need of prompting, Avad brushed back her hair. Aloy angled her head instinctively, allowing him to replenish his strength. Avad drank from her, feeling the remnants of his wound disappear. Her magic was stronger than anyone could ever compare, and he had never been more grateful for that.

 

The news reported the damage in the forest as a drug deal gone bad. The destruction done to the trees were inexplicable to mortals, but supernatural creatures recognized it as a deadly altercation. Aloy eventually felt a measure of guilt for killing Helis despite what he had done. Avad consoled as best he could. He understood her remorse. Killing another living being should never be taken lightly.

Nakoa was just relieved to see her best friend relatively unharmed. She even felt glad to see that Avad was doing fine as well. She finally felt comfortable with him being around. The question now was whether to tell the coven about Aloy’s bond with him or not. Aloy felt that Rost deserved to know, so the following weekend she visited him at her childhood home.

Rost made her coffee as he always did, coupled with some toast and bacon. He wasn’t exactly a chef, but Aloy had never starved. “So, how have your studies been going?” the man asked as the witch bit into her test.

“I’m doing okay. I’ll be happy once spring break is here. I need a vacation.” Aloy gave a grin as she sipped from her mug.

The man Aloy called her father was scrutinizing her. She could feel his piercing eyes watching her every move. “Is something on your mind?”

Aloy puffed her cheeks. “Um, there’s something I gotta tell you. It’s important that you listen, okay? I know you’re not going to like it, but I’m asking for a little trust here.” Rost remained stoic, waiting for her to continue. Aloy huffed and began to slowly peel away her scarf from her neck. When she dropped it and pulled back her hair, Rost’s gasp of shock was the only sound in the room.

“Aloy, what have you done?” Rost inquired incredulously.

Aloy’s hands rose defensively. “I asked for a little trust, remember?” Rost quieted, and so Aloy told him everything, from the moment she first met Avad to their mating to Helis’ death. She knew that if Rost hardened his heart to all of this, she would not be able to sway him. She only hoped that any love he held for her would be enough to earn his good graces.

Aloy was careful not to reveal too much of Avad’s strengths. He had trusted her with that information, and she would not betray him. So instead she revealed a little of the vampire’s past, how he was a prince in northern India many centuries ago. She even convinced the vampire into allowing his picture to be taken so that Rost could see him—and hopefully, see the tenderness that she always found in those dark eyes.

Rost sat quietly as he processed this information. It went against everything he had been raised to believe, and yet here he was, sitting with his surrogate daughter who claimed to be mated to a vampire. “Who else knows?” he finally asked.

“Only Nakoa. I’m… afraid to approach the Matriarchs. You and I both know what will happen if they find out.”

“Am I right in assuming that this is something you intend to pursue long term?”

“Yes,” Aloy admitted. “I’m still struggling with the vampire part of the whole thing, but sooner or later I’m going to die, and I can’t imagine putting Avad through that kind of anguish.”

While he wasn’t happy about the whole arrangement, Rost could see how deeply Aloy felt about this, and he knew Aloy wasn’t sentimental very easily. “I want to speak with him,” he decided.

It was a start, and Aloy was more than happy to comply. “I’d like that. He would too,” she informed him with a smile. “Do you want to go over right now? Avad should be done with work soon.”

Rost burst into a fit of laughter. “Vampires work regular jobs, do they?” he jested.

Aloy shrugged. “This one does.” She gave him a smirk in turn.

The witch called her vampire to inform him of the plan, and he promised to make them dinner. Rost was surprised at this as well, but Aloy assured him that Avad was more than adequate in the kitchen. So the two got in the car and drove down to the complex where Avad lived. The receptionist greeted Aloy with familiarity, earning a raise of eyebrows from Rost. She merely gave a small shrug.

Aloy knocked on the door, patiently waiting just as Avad opened the door. His eyes drew to hers and they embraced each other. He kissed her head, letting her inside before turning to Rost. “You must be Rost, Aloy’s father,” he greeted, offering his hand to shake. The other man paused for a moment before relenting to the greeting, not bothering to correct him.

“I am,” Rost confirmed. He stepped inside, scoping out the living area. He honestly hadn’t expected as much interior decorating as he was seeing. Aloy had taken to moving Avad’s photos to a more visible part of the apartment as opposed to hiding them away like the vampire had been doing. In addition, there was a recent framed picture of them together in Central Park.

“So what’s cooking?” Aloy asked, casually slumping into the couch as Avad returned to the kitchen.

“Appetizer is fried green tomatoes,” Avad started, “followed by some classic grilled cheese sandwiches and your favorite chicken stew.” Aloy was practically drooling.

“You know me so well,” she hummed.

“I’m also trying to survive a meal around your father.”

Rost guffawed. “Food won’t sway me one way or another,” he retorted.

Aloy rolled her eyes. “You haven’t had his vegetable kurma or his French toast. That shit is _amazing_.”

Rost tilted his head. “You had kurma? As in, with _spices_?”

Avad laughed. “Immunizing her to hotter dishes was a challenge, I assure you,” he insisted. “To this day I miss being able to eat food. The palace cooks knew how to make heaven in a dish.”

Rost and Aloy enjoyed the tomatoes first while Avad finished up on the sandwiches. Rost had to hand it to him, that vampire knew how to cook. Aloy refused to reveal Avad’s true age, but even living a single century would give the man more than enough time to learn how to become a world class cook.

Aloy greedily ate her stew and sandwich, feeling like a little kid as she stuffed her face. Avad sat beside her, his arm comfortably draped over her shoulders. Rost watched the pair, seeing how Avad interacted with his surrogate daughter. The vampire drank wine from a glass, informing his newest guest that vampires could consume alcohol with little problem. It provided a much-needed change from the eternal blood diet.

“Now then,” Rost said, pushing away his dishes when finished. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but Aloy: have you checked to see whether or not you’re being Compelled?”

“Already done. Nakoa got concerned.” Aloy shrugged, slipping an arm behind Avad’s back so that she could be closer to him. “This isn’t something that can be broken, Rost. I want him just as much as he wants me. The way I see things is different now. There’s still much for Avad and me to learn about this, especially since I’m a witch, but we're getting there.”

Avad looked over at Rost. “I have no desire to pull Aloy away from her world, but understand that I will not let her go. She is mine.” Aloy curled her fingers into his shirt.

“No need for threats,” she murmured, poking him in the center of his chest.

Rost shared Avad’s intense gaze. “Aloy mentioned something about not wanting to put you through anguish. What does she mean?” he asked.

“If she dies, I will be in agony until I myself die. And believe me, I do not intend to live long without her.”

Rost sighed deeply. He was unaccustomed to Aloy being so physically affectionate with anyone—that, in part, was for him to blame. Here, she rested into Avad’s side as if she was in the comfort of her own bed. Avad was intense, but his touch on the witch was soft. “I see,” Rost muttered, clenching his jaw. After a moment he released air from his lungs. “I suppose I can do nothing but accept this. You're a woman now. But the Matriarchs will be difficult to handle. They need to know.”

Aloy shook her head. “It’s none of their business,” she insisted. “So what if I love a vampire or not? He’s nothing like what witches preach them to be. I’m not afraid of him, and nothing they can say or do will tear me away from him.”

“I think, out of fairness, you should tell them,” Avad agreed with Rost. “You owe them nothing, I concur, but it’s unfair to burden Nakoa and your father with this knowledge.”

While she wasn’t remotely pleased with the idea, Aloy relented. “Fine.”

 

Needless to say, the Matriarchs had not been remotely pleased, Lansra least of all. Aloy didn’t care. She’d told them, and now she was walking away. She didn’t need the coven, and they didn’t want her anymore. The witches were banned from keeping contact with her, however Nakoa broke that rule on the daily. They continued to room together, maintaining their independence while they finished college.

Avad was a constant presence at Aloy’s side. She often stayed with him over the weekend, just as she was doing tonight. It was summer now, and while Aloy still had classes, she allowed herself to be a little more lax with her studies. Tonight she was curled up in Avad’s bed, lazily flipping through the pages of some old book from his collection. Avad settled behind her, arm resting over her torso comfortingly.

These calm nights were his favorite. Avad would often read over Aloy’s shoulder or shower her with kisses. What fascinated him were her school books, as he’d never really cared for the likes of engineering before now. Aloy found it rather funny. “You’re a thousand years old and you never took up tinkering?” she had teased him one time. No, it wasn’t his style, but he certainly didn’t mind watching Aloy work a car engine or two in her free time. He found it rather sexy.

Aloy still had a couple more years before she graduated, and then they would pave their path from there. Avad was anxious about what that could mean, however he refrained from asking too much. He stayed out of his witch’s head.

He’d finally introduced her to Erend, and the two hit it off right away. To Aloy, it was strange to see the werewolf and vampire interact as if their species weren’t the world’s oldest enemies. Apparently Avad was a bit of an oddity among his own kind, having formed a habit of making friends with all supernatural beings. Most vampires kept to themselves, after all.

Avad pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Aloy close her book. She shifted to the other side, rolling so that they faced each other. “Hi,” she whispered, snuggling against him.

“Hello,” Avad purred, stroking her hair. “Ready to sleep?”

“Yeah.” Aloy nodded, tugging the blankets so that they better covered her. Avad shifted the pillows so that she’d be more comfortable. “Are you okay?” she asked, gazing up at him.

Avad smiled warmly and kissed her forehead. “I’m better than I have ever been,” he assured her. “Helis is gone, and I have you beside me. Now, get some sleep. I'll see you again in the morning."

Aloy’s smile was sleepy. “Love you,” she breathed, closing her eyes.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Good night.”

The vampire waited until the beat of her heart slowed. His purr was a low rumble as he tucked her head underneath his chin. Avad knew that he would never abandon her. He knew that Aloy would take care of him just as she had when she had saved him from Helis, but for now, she was safe in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe there’s only one chapter left in this. Obviously I intend to write more of this AU but it kinda hits me that so much work has come down to only five days of publishing.  
> Some of y’all may have noticed I’ve tried sprinkling a wee bit of Avad’s culture to this. I didn’t want him being disconnected from India and the city/dynasty I chose for him for this story. What was not intentional was the amount of times the letter K shows up in reflection of that (Karkota, Krishna, kurma, and soon kurts). Oops. lol  
> Who’s ready for some sappy romance tomorrow? I know I am. ;)  
> Don’t forget to drop a comment before you go. It means a lot to me. ^.^


	5. Eternity is a Long Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! Or, in the words of my Irish ancestors, Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh!  
> I hope you all had a great day today watching scary movies, wearing rad costumes, and eating tasty treats. ^.^  
> This is the last chapter, and it allows us to get a glimpse at Aloy and Avad’s future together. It’s sappy as hell but I love it that way. I hope you do too!

Aloy shaded her eyes, the water of Dal Lake lapping calmly against the shikara boat. The sun was hot, beating down on the lake at eighty degrees. It was cooler underneath the canopy, and Avad’s colder body temperature kept it far more tolerable.

Graduation had been only a few months ago, and yet it felt like a lifetime. Avad had taken her to the city of his birth. His family’s palace was long gone, replaced by centuries of growth coupled with the rise and fall of empires. Avad spoke all the major languages that breathed life here, while Aloy had picked up a little Hindi. From time to time she would catch glimpses of sadness in her mate’s eyes, and she wondered if he ever envisioned his homeland as how it used to be.

They were returning from Shankaracharya Temple. Avad had avoided it for decades. He never expected the sense of peace he felt when he returned to such a sacred piece of his childhood. Aloy had allowed him space, awaiting outside with his shoes while he left his offering for Lord Shiva. Over a thousand years of life and yet Avad remained avid believer in the faith he grew up with.

“So what was it like? The temple?” Aloy asked, tangling their fingers together.

“Almost exactly the same,” Avad remarked quietly. “The structure had to be rebuilt in the tenth century, so the building itself isn’t the same temple I grew up attending, but I have returned here enough times to be familiar with it.”

Aloy looked over his shoulder, eyeing the mountains behind them. “Sometimes I forget how old you are. It makes me wonder what it was all like back then,” she commented.

Avad smiled softly. “Things were simpler then. And not just with technology, but with clothing and homes. People had more respect for each other. The air was pure, the bodies of water clean, and life sacred. I miss it sometimes.” He rested his chin on top of her head, comforted by her touch. “I would be so happy if you had existed all those years ago. You would have been the daughter of some tribal leader in Europe who came to my land in your curiosity to see the world. I would have fallen in love with you and asked my father to allow me to marry you.”

“Would he have?”

“Most likely as a second wife, but I would love you alone. I wouldn’t even let you sleep in a separate bedchamber.”

Aloy laughed and pressed her face against his neck. “Husband and wife didn’t share bedrooms?”

“Not royal ones, I’m afraid. In fact, the harem is where the women resided. I would have had to come to you, as was protocol. You would have been cared for by women of the court, maids, and eunuchs. You would have want for nothing.”

“Except you,” Aloy pointed out. “I wouldn’t have been useful stuck in the harem all day.”

Avad hummed, acknowledging this fact. Aloy would not have enjoyed the idleness many royal women enjoyed. She would have required constant movement, working with her hands and her mind to accomplish her heart’s desires. “You would have been a terrible royal wife,” he teased, causing her to burst out in laughter.

“We could have always run away to Europe,” she pointed out. “How good were you at hunting?”

“I was rather decent with a bow, not that I ever enjoyed harming an innocent creature. My father always felt I had been too soft.” He tipped Aloy’s head back and gave her a featherlike kiss. She leaned in closer to steal a deeper one.

“Soft is sexy,” she assured him, rewarded with one of Avad’s warm smiles.

“Where were you a thousand years ago?” he lamented.

Gods, he loved her. She was his queen, his goddess, and his reason for existence. Perhaps one day they would marry, when she was ready. Avad wasn’t sure what witches did, but he knew he wanted to marry her in the tradition of his ancestors. The wedding traditions had changed over the millennia, but that bothered him little. He only desired to bind himself eternally to Aloy.

The boat docked with the city looming ahead of them. Avad got up first and stepped out before helping Aloy onto the dry ground. He spoke briefly with the boat owner and paid him. Aloy picked up a few words, and she smiled when the mortal man waved to her. “People around here are so polite,” she noted as they locked hands.

“A world away from New York City, isn’t?” They shared knowing grins. It was just after noon now, however Aloy didn’t feel hungry enough for lunch. Avad suggested more shopping, and as touristy as it felt, Aloy happily agreed.

Srinagar continued to bustle even during mealtime. Aloy purchased some treats to munch on as she strolled around the shops, having already purchased a beautifully colored pashmina scarf for Nakoa. Avad had slipped away yesterday while they were in the Kashmir Cloth Shopping Mall to buy God knows what. Aloy meanwhile had hunted down some new shirts for Rost. He was a sensible man with little interest in frivolous things.

Aloy was dying for some coffee, so they popped into a local café for a caffeine fix. “Penny for your thoughts?” Avad spoke.

“I was wondering,” Aloy started, “when was the last time you came here?”

Avad paused. “I believe it was the 1940s.”

Aloy hadn’t expected it to be that long ago. “And…?”

The vampire glanced around. “I was involved in rebellion against the British Empire for several centuries. In 1947 there were protests against the Maharaja of the time. I regret to say I left my people to their own devices here during the 1980s and 1990s. I’m not proud of it.”

Aloy covered his hand with hers. “You’re not responsible for everything that goes on here. You can only do what you can. And you’re not exactly the type to commit mass murder to accomplish your goals….” She trailed off, giving him a sympathetic grin.

“I suppose you’re right,” Avad conceded, sighing. He nudged her to finish her coffee, and while Aloy rolled her eyes, she did just that.

“Come on, brighten up. You’re here to showcase your hometown, not drown yourself in sorrow.”

She was right, as always. Someone his age shouldn’t be dwelling on a past he couldn’t control. So instead, after Aloy’s coffee, they returned to their houseboat where Avad made love to her. It was like their first time every time, where he would worship her and drink from her. Aloy’s caresses would make him purr, her nips urging him to press closer against her body.

The houseboat swayed gently with the lake, the sun slowly beginning to set. Aloy traced her fingertips over Avad’s chest while his hand caressed her back. They shared soft kisses and whispered, “I love you” to each other. They had considered staying in a hotel, but the houseboat afforded them the true privacy that they desired for their extended stay. Avad was more than happy to give Aloy his undivided attention.

“So, this restaurant you’re taking me to…” Aloy spoke up, nuzzling Avad’s neck.

“Mmhmm,” Avad purred, stroking her side.

“Is there a dress code I should be aware of?”

The vampire laughed. “No, there isn’t,” he promised. “However… I did take the liberty of buying something for you. I think you’ll like it.”

Aloy quirked an eyebrow. “Does it involve you leaving my bed?” she demanded.

“Love, the bag is on the other side of the room,” Avad informed her with a laugh.

“Nope, not doing that.” Aloy clung tighter to his body, which only caused him to laugh harder.

“I’m a vampire,” he reminded her, “I can get it and come back in less than two seconds.”

The witch puffed her cheeks. “Fine,” she relented grumpily. True to his word, Avad left and returned with bag in hand before she could even blink. Aloy propped her chin on his shoulder expectantly. Avad pulled out the package and began laying it out in front of them.

“It’s an anarkali suit paired with leggings,” Avad explained as Aloy ran her hand over the silken purple and gold. “And the shoes are called juttis.”

“They’re beautiful,” she commented in admiration.

Avad beamed. “I figured you would be happier in a suit than a saree, so this is what I chose. I don’t think you would disagree that purple looks amazing on you.”

Aloy smirked and kissed his cheek. “I love it,” she assured him, “but if jewelry is hiding in that bag too, I just might smack you.”

“Well….” Avad ducked his head sheepishly. He produced a simple gold chain and tiny jhumki earrings to match. Aloy quirked an eyebrow.

“What is going on with you?” she wondered, touching the additional gifts. “I mean, I’m flattered, and I love them, but you’re acting a little strange.”

Avad sighed and gently grasped her chin with his hand. “You’re the woman I love, Aloy. Had you met me in my human life these wouldn’t even be suitable to give to you. Showing you my first home and my culture culture gives me great pleasure. Please accept them. You would look absolutely wonderful.”

Aloy kissed him lightly. “You are extremely hard to say no to,” she retorted, however she offered a smile. “Okay, you win.”

Aloy got dressed, making sure all her other earrings were gold before putting on the necklace and jhumkis. The anarkali was a deep purple, the perfect shade for her skin. She felt more elegant than she had been when she had been initiated into her coven. The white shift she wore then was suitable for the occasion, but tonight she was in Avad’s homeland. She wanted to be worthy of this rare gift.

She left her red hair loose, the humidity making the strands curl more than they did in New York. Her makeup was kept natural and fresh, just as she always preferred it. Aloy had to admit, she looked good. Avad’s compliments finally hit their mark. With a pounding heart she stepped out.

Her step faltered. Avad had dressed for the occasion, wearing a white and gold kurta suit with matching juttis. Aloy had never before seen him dressed like this, accustomed to his Western style. “Oh my God,” she whispered.

Avad beamed. That was precisely the reaction he had been hoping for. “I was hardly going to let you walk in there dressed like that without complementing the look,” he informed her, offering him arm. “Shall we?”

Dinner was wonderful. The couple may have dressed up more than other diners, but neither were bothered. They were seated in a private corner, enjoying delicious local food—which Avad would have to force back up later—and tea. Aloy enjoyed every second. Avad often held her hand, caressing her wrist with his thumb. Her presence calmed him, giving him peace that his eternal existence had never before afforded him.

After the meal they walked alongside the lake, wrapped up in each other as the world passed them by. Their houseboat loomed closer, and Avad finally couldn’t remain silent anymore. “I was wondering if you had given more thought to our current circumstances,” he said.

Aloy leaned into his arm, knowing what he meant. “I have,” she confirmed, “and I made my decision.” They stopped walking, and she turned to look up directly at him. “My answer is yes.”

Avad’s face broke out into the brightest of smiles. “Truly?” he gasped.

“ _Yes_.” Aloy shook her head, amused. “Avad, eternity is a long time. I want to spend it with you.” Before she could say anything further, Avad had swooped her into her arms.

“When? Here, or back in New York?”

“I don’t care. Just get it done.”

They returned to the boathouse, stripping each other until they were left naked. Avad worshiped her skin, smoothing his hands across her body as they collapsed onto the bed. He wished to make this as comfortable for Aloy as possible, and so he once again made love to her. She offered her blood to him, and when he was sated, he opened his wrist with his teeth. She drank until he assured her it was enough. The next part was the worst.

“I’m sorry,” Avad whispered, cupping her jaw with his hands.

“It’s okay,” Aloy promised him. “It’ll be over soon.”

He clenched his eyes shut, fighting back a sob as he jerk her head, hearing the sickening snap. It was pure agony to do it, and the anguish burned in him as he held her body close. Avad never realized how painful waiting for anything was until this moment. Not being able to hear her heart or feel her breath made him want to wail, but he waited. He didn’t know how long time passed.

Aloy jerked and gasped, choking on air. She clutched Avad’s shoulders to anchor herself, her body shaking. Avad’s agony disappeared the moment she took breath again. His beloved was safe, and like him, immortal. Gently he brushed back her hair. “You’re all right now,” he promised, nuzzling her. She purred. It made him feel warm inside.

Aloy gazed around the room, noticing for the first time that she could see perfectly in the dark. Miniscule details she had missed before was clear as day. When she looked over at Avad’s face, she felt like singing. He was so beautiful. It had been impossible to believe she would find him more attractive than she already had before, but it was like she was seeing him for the first time. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted in a whisper, caressing his cheek.

“Don’t say anything for now, then,” Avad told her. “Now then, you have a hunger that needs to be taken care of, but first….” He tilted his head away to reveal his neck. “Your turn, sweetheart.”

The witch required no convincing. On cue, she felt her fangs extend, and with instinctual ease she sank them into his throat. Avad gasped softly, groaning lightly as he felt Aloy drink. He now understood why Aloy had always enjoyed feeding him. He felt ravenous with desire, every fiber of his body screaming at him to claim his mate again.

They ended up rutting in the bed for the third time that day, Aloy’s strengthened nails leaving deep scratches in his back. It was the most delicious sensation. She had left her mark on him with her teeth, and Avad would wear it proudly. He vaguely wondered how vampirism would amplify her magic, but that thought was forgotten.

Avad managed to convince Aloy out of bed long enough to satisfy her thirst. He would teach her how to hunt without killing in time, but he made the effort of providing for her tonight. Aloy felt aversion to this, the idea of drinking from a mortal undesirable. Avad’s blood was the only sustenance she wanted, but she hardly wanted to drain him dry either, so she complied.

When she was finished, Avad healed the wound Aloy left behind and Compelled the victim to forget everything before sending him off. This would not be easy for the witch, as she held just as much empathy for other beings as he did, but he knew in time she would be able to handle it just fine.

They completed their trip in Srinagar, spending much of the daytime mating and the nighttime prowling. Avad instructed her in everything step by step. They swam in the lake where no one could see them, and when the sun bothered Aloy’s eyes too much they retreated into the depths of the nearby forest.

Aloy and Avad disappeared from the eyes of the world for several more weeks. They wanted to ensure Aloy had enough personal endurance before returning to civilization. Neither complained. This allowed them more time to themselves. Aloy felt bad for not answered the phone, but the moment she found any reception she called Rost and Nakoa immediately to assure them she was okay.

Rost was told first. He had expected this outcome, but it was still a shock. Aloy seemed like herself, however her gravitation toward Avad become far more prominent. He appreciated the shirts she had gotten him in India. She showed him her anarkali suit as well, promising to wear it the next time they went out together.

Nakoa was just as surprised as Rost, but she assured Aloy that nothing had changed between them. She adored the pashmina scarf and intended to wear it for the next sabbat. She had tea with the two vampires, and like Avad, was curious to know how becoming a vampire affected Aloy’s powers. The redhead hadn’t been brave enough to test those limits quite yet, afraid to destroy everything around her in the process.

In the end, Aloy was Aloy, and those who loved her celebrated this new chapter in her life. She knew she was eternally banned from the coven. Perhaps one day, others of her kind would become more open to the likes of what she had become. She intended to find every coven possible and open the door. It was time for this thousand-year old war to end.

 

Aloy’s fingers traced over the rings on her finger thoughtfully. Before Avad, she honestly never gave a thought to marriage. It simply wasn’t her way. The white dresses, the flowers, being given away…. None of that had made any sort of impact on her. The thought had warmed up to her over time over the following months of becoming a vampire.

As she grew more confident in her new body, Avad had taken her to his favorite places throughout Hindustan. He had lived in every state of India, particularly in his earlier years when he couldn’t bear being so far from his mortal home. There were well over a thousand languages spoken in this vast land, and while Avad didn’t speak them all, he spoke many.

He seemed so much more at home here. Most vampires preferred to cut ties from their former life, but not him. Avad developed friendships with all kinds of supernatural beings, some that Aloy had no idea even existed. Many of them were even older than Avad, teasing him about taking so long to find his mate. Aloy felt lost at first, but she was welcomed into all manner of abodes regardless of her disconnect.

Right now they were residing in a palace down south. Avad was hardly the sole member of royalty to become a vampire. In fact, despite the reports of her death, the very Rani Lakshmi Bai herself was alive and well. Aloy was beginning to wonder exactly how many members of dynasties were now eternally ageless.

“Wife.”

Aloy turned and smiled, seeing Avad approach. He dressed in a kurta again, which she always admired. When surrounded by other vampiric royalty, he was very much the prince he once was.

“Husband,” she greeted in turn, smiling as he wrapped his arms around her.

“What are you thinking?”

Aloy snorted. “You can read my mind, you know.”

Avad smirked and nuzzled her ear. “Only when permitted. It’s very impolite to enter another’s home without permission, don’t you think?”

All right, she would let him win that one. “I’m just… in awe. So many famous people from history are here that were thought to have met an untimely demise. I mean, Lakshmi was shot—”

“But despite what the soldier thought, she wasn’t killed. Many of our kind fought alongside her without her knowing, and when one saw his Rani dying, he made the active decision to save her. Like all of us, she fought against British rule in the following decades. In the shadows, unseen. Our kingdoms are lost to the sands of time, but we continue to uphold our promises to protect and serve our people.”

“What’s amazing is that, at one point, so many of your lands were once enemies, and yet you all commune as if India has always been one country.”

Avad grinned. “An eternity of time can often change one’s sentiments toward their enemies,” he reminded her.

“Like us?”

They kissed softly. “Exactly,” he murmured. “A witch and a vampire. Who would have thought?”

They made love under the glow of the moon, cushioned by silken sheets. If anyone was near, they did not know. They shared blood, and Aloy used her magic to increase their pleasure. Her powers had adapted with the change, and Avad’s own gifts multiplied. Their very bodies had been sculpted for each other, and they worshiped.

Avad kissed Aloy’s milky skin. Her freckles had been allowed to remain despite the change, which he was grateful. He loved each one and had counted them all a thousand times over. Aloy’s fingertips trailed over Avad’s darker skin. Perhaps in another life, he would have fathered her children. Little girls to carry on the craft. At this point, Aloy knew that any chance of children would be adoption. The idea of vampires being parents to a mortal or witch child made her laugh.

“What is it?” Avad asked. Aloy shook her head.

“Nothing. It’s just something silly I thought of.”

“Aloy, how many times do I have to remind you that your thoughts are never silly?” Avad brushed their noses together affectionately.

The witch huffed, annoyed that he could so easily get under her skin with his sweet antics. “I just thought it’d be the funniest thing for two vampires to adopt a kid,” she muttered. As she predicted, Avad chuckled.

“What brought this on?” he wondered, stroking her hair.

“I mean, I’m adopted, right? No one really knows who my mother was. Maybe one day I’ll learn the truth. But… I don’t know. Until I met you, marriage and kids weren’t even on my radar, but now, I've been thinking about it.” Aloy shrugged lightly. “I just thought about what things would’ve been like if you’d been mortal, and we had kids together. It’s stupid, I know.”

Avad shook his head. “Hardly,” he insisted. “I’ve thought about that too, if I’m being honest.”

Aloy sighed, trailing her fingers over his shoulder. “Maybe one day,” she murmured, tucking herself against his chest.

“If it’s something we decide we want to do, we’ll discuss it further,” Avad promised, rubbing her back. Aloy nodded, and without another word, they shut themselves away for the rest of the night.

 

Aloy stood on top of the clock tower, gazing down at the mortals passing by without knowing she was there. She and Avad had decided to move to London for a while. There was no need to run for Helis anymore, and they were ready for a new atmosphere. This was Avad’s first time back in London since the 1890s.

Her hair was drenched from the rain, but she paid little mind. Her eyes were focused on something else entirely. She clamored down step by step, careful not to make a sound. She fell behind her target, merging with the crowd of locals and tourists. If he saw her, he’d run. And he was very fast.

When he turned, she waved her hands in a circle, and she was gone. Certain he was safe, he continued, and Aloy resumed her physical presence. He went left, and she followed. She circled around puddles, her steps silent as the grave. She didn’t even breathe, and if she still had a beating heart, it would be thundering against her ribcage right now.

Her prey had pulled out his phone, talking animatedly with whoever was on the other line. She smiled. His guard was dropping. Perfect. When he hung up, she tucked behind a trash bin. He sighed, shuffled his feet, and moved on. The streets narrowed into an alley. Either he was being foolish or he knew exactly what he was doing. No matter. She closed in.

Avad grunted loudly as Aloy slammed his body against the brick wall. Her fists held onto his coat, forcing him to stay put. “I win,” she purred. Avad growled.

“Using magic is cheating,” he complained.

“You told me to use my resources. I did.”

The vampire grimaced. He needed to be more mindful of his words next time. Witches loved loopholes. “Very well then, I yield. What is your prize?”

Aloy grinned wickedly. “Two things,” she decided. Wordlessly she unbuttoned his shirt, extended her fangs, and sank her teeth in the base of his neck. Avad groaned and cupped the back of her head as she drank. The blood sharing was an addiction, the feeding and the giving. By their kind’s standards, they were still what would be called newlyweds, so when one craved it, so did the other by mere instinct.

Aloy traced her tongue against the wound to close it, and she smirked when Avad’s fingers brushed back her hair. She tilted her head, sighing as he took his turn. She clung to his body, moaning softly as he fed. Avad caressed her back, gently closing her wound next once he was finished. “And the other?” he whispered, kissing her neck.

“I want to start working now,” she stated, nuzzling his chest. “I’m ready. You’ve taught me everything I need to know, but I’ve been sitting on my degree. It’s time.”

Avad had waited for her to give the go ahead. She had relented to waiting a few years so that she would develop the resistance necessary to be around mortals all day, but her patience had ceased. “Good,” he murmured, cupping her cheeks. “There are a few companies here in London that I know will want you the second they meet you. Just try not to Compel them by accident.”

The witch snorted. “If I have to Compel them to get a job, the problem’s with me,” she retorted. “But are you okay with this? I know you want me with you—”

“I want you happy more than anything,” Avad cut her off. “You want to work, earn your own wage, and prove yourself to others. I will support you every step of the way. You’ve sacrificed everything for me. I’d be an awful creature to try and prevent you from doing what you want to do.” He pushed off the wall and claimed Aloy’s hand. “Come on, then, let’s polish off that resume of yours.”

Aloy beamed brightly as they walked through London together, returning home to their flat. She was eager to begin her next adventure. She was a witch, a vampire, a mate, and a wife; but now she was going to become an engineer. Her life has been a whirlwind from start to finish, but this wasn’t the end to her story. In fact, she was just getting started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *wipes tear* And with that, it’s over. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I promise to write more of this universe in the future.  
> You can pry Indian Avad (and Dutch Aloy, for that matter) from my cold dead hands. Fight me.  
> I couldn’t resist making Lakshmi Bai a vampire. That woman was amazing. And no, that wasn’t under any influence from The Order: 1886. lol I just might toss her into a one shot at some point. ;)  
> Anyway, have a great holiday. Thank you all so much for reading. <3

**Author's Note:**

> And that is the end of day one with four more to go.  
> So? What did you guys think?  
> The timeline of this story isn't going to be dictated too much. Since this is a shorter story, I don't want to drag this out more than it needs to.  
> Next chapter is up tomorrow. I'm going home but there's no WiFi, so I have to post from my phone. Pray for me, guys. LOL  
> Thank you for reading, everyone. Leave your thoughts down in the comments and I hope you all are having a great Halloween week. :D


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